Monday, September 7, 2009

Water dripping on a stone

I used to have this quote in my old office:
Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion. You have to set yourself on fire (Arnold H. Glasow).
In the latest episode of Mad Men, we saw a televised image of the buddhist monk on fire in Saigon, proposing the idea that you have to be an active participant of the change you want to see in the world.
The latest episode of Mad Men was a difficult one to pin down. I watched it three times and feel like anything I write sounds so stupid. The "daddy" issues, the generational gap and the concept of change were all clearly presented. But the undertones suggested something quite different, something I can't explain.

What I really liked about this episode is that the idea of being magnanimous is complicated and not always easy, but essential to change. It is not just about being confident. I am still working out many of these ideas in my head (and that is what I really like about this show). I wanted to post the image that we saw at the end of the show, the image of Don folding up Gene's bed in the same room as the crib. I couldn't find it on the web, I may have to take a picture of it on my own TV. Also, I really want to know more about Joan. Who is her father? What was her upbringing?
John F. Kennedy said, "Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”
I miss the future. I wish it were here.

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