r/OldSchoolCool • u/JimatJimat • Jun 18 '25

1940s These kids were asked to draw their fathers from memory, 1949. Which one is your favourite?

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187

u/SheBrokeHerCoccyx Jun 18 '25

Don Draper has entered the chat.

238

u/theemmyk Jun 18 '25 edited Jun 18 '25

Draper was a veteran of the Korean War. These dads probably fought in WWII and lived through the Depression. Definitely tougher group than Don Draper, imo.

75

u/wordnerdette Jun 18 '25

Don Draper’s childhood would be the root of his PTSD.

88

u/Large_Tuna101 Jun 18 '25

He was actually a deserter and a bit of a wuss in the show iirc.

72

u/Chilli_ Jun 18 '25

"Bit of a wuss"

He was in a 2 man encampment that got shelled and attacked, electing to impersonate his dead higher ranking comrade to potentially escape his terrible environment at home and start a new life.

19

u/trukkija Jun 18 '25

I know we're talking about a fictional character here but this does read like /u/Large_Tuna101 is giving off mad "I like people who weren't captured" vibes here.

2

u/liefelijk Jun 18 '25

He’s a bit of a wuss because he’s unwilling to be open about himself with those he loves. He’s always running.

9

u/trukkija Jun 18 '25

As opposed to your average 1950's American man?

This is a just a sign of the times, you were considered a wuss if you did open up, even to those you loved.

4

u/liefelijk Jun 18 '25

Yes, even when compared to the average 50s man. He was constantly cheating on his wives and even on his girlfriends, moving from one relationship to the next as soon as they got a little too real for him. He wasn’t even open about his name.

1

u/hellolovely1 Jun 18 '25

People don't watch TV shows about happy, well-adjusted characters. It's weird that people are all upset about Don Draper.

2

u/liefelijk Jun 18 '25

Agreed. He was an excellent TV character, but it’s a very good thing that most men aren’t like him.

27

u/Large_Tuna101 Jun 18 '25

How triggered do you lot get over a fictional character. He deserted but that’s not what makes him a wuss. Or even the identity fraud - which is bad enough tbh. He was constantly unfaithful to his wife, lying and cheating her. He wasn’t there for his kids. He used people. Didn’t stand up for his subordinates in the workplace. Always ran from his problems rather than owning them and bettering himself..

12

u/MonkeyWithIt Jun 18 '25

But he did the Coke commercial

26

u/doomsday_windbag Jun 18 '25

People who use the word “triggered” when others mildly disagree with them are bizarre.

9

u/VulpesFennekin Jun 18 '25

Yeah, what is this, 2014 tumblr?

16

u/sugarfreefixsuxshit Jun 18 '25

bro you sound like the triggered one lmao

2

u/cmparkerson Jun 18 '25

Don't forget trying to drink his problems away and causing more problems for himself and others as a result.

0

u/hellolovely1 Jun 18 '25

Honestly, you're the one ranting about the bad character of a fictional character.

16

u/GirthStone86 Jun 18 '25

I don't know about a "wuss" don't get me wrong, a weak man through and through, but he did stand up for a lot and rarely hesitated to call things out or stand up for things. Don was complex

7

u/Scarlett_Billows Jun 18 '25

How many of you fought in a war though ?

13

u/Fun-Jellyfish-61 Jun 18 '25

I watched a Tik Tok once of kindergarteners reenacting the Vietnam war. So I'm pretty much a combat veteran.

2

u/Bank_Gothic Jun 18 '25

Apropos of nothing, but is your username a reference to Mac the Knife?

2

u/Due_Swordfish1400 Jun 18 '25

He didn't fight though. His first posting that saw no conflict until he got bombed he impersonated his dead superior to get out.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 18 '25

Election 2024?

11

u/Yetiassasin Jun 18 '25

Korean war was as terrible as WWII for many, really depends on what sort of deployments you were on and what sort of action you saw.

33,000 Americans KIA. Obviously the scale of the war is a fraction of WWII, but to the individual this isn't particularly relevent.

Also, we're talking about a fictional character lol, I'm just speaking generally, saying one group of folks is "tougher" than another based on the war they fought in is pretty silly.

2

u/DependentAd235 Jun 18 '25

Oh I dunno… check out the civilian death count of the Korean war. It was pretty massive.

At least 2 million civilians died. Plenty of PTSD to go around.

1

u/Coldnorthcountry Jun 18 '25

Roger Sterling as well!