Is Don Draper a moral person?
As Mad Men continues its sixth season on AMC Draper, played by Jon Hamm has resumed his philandering ways – albeit with a bit more regret attached.
As his marriage to the increasingly insufferable Megan continues to sour he has taken up with the wife of a neighbor. A doctor he appears to not only like and respect, but perhaps envy as well.
Does Don's infidelity in and of itself make him an immoral person or is morality a bit more complicated? Most people go through life making decisions, good and bad. Do the sum of those decisions define a person as moral or immoral, or should such a classification be reserved for actions that are taken?
Here's a look back at the good and bad of Don Draper:
The Good
- Don is an honest business man. He even told that guy who thought Jai alai would be the next big American sport to not waste his money.
- Don has a pretty good work ethic, will work hard for his clients and seems to have a passion for what he does.
- Don is pretty good to his kids – when he spends time with them. In a period when it was acceptable to hit your kids for little reason, Don does not – even when one of his kids busts the Hi-Fi.
- In a time of rampant sexism, Don gave Peggy Olson her start as a copywriter and mentored her. And when she quit, he kissed her hand.
- Don was the only partner in the firm who told Joan not to sleep with a guy to land the Jaguar account.
The Bad
- Don drinks a lot and recently vomited during the funeral of Roger Sterling's mother.
- Don is not the most faithful husband – by a loooonnggg shot. He cheated on Betty nonstop and has begun cheating on his new wife Megan.
- Don took the identity of a guy who got blown up in Korea and got out of the war early, breaking several laws in the process.
- Don blew off his long lost brother and the guy proceeded to kill himself.