It’s Not Called the Wheel, It’s Called the Carousel

This paper argues that the Kodak Carousel pitch in Mad Men functions as a piece of “television-philosophy” that articulates the nature of nostalgia. By situating Donald Draper’s speech within psychological and philosophical debates on emotions, the paper shows how Mad Men exemplifies nostalgia’s intentional structure—memory, imagination, and desire fused in a bittersweet attitude. Through Draper’s slideshow, visuals, and sound, the series highlights the dual role of nostalgia in identity: fostering self-continuity, esteem, and connection, while also masking existential fracture.