Mad Men board games: What shall I be? The exciting game of career girls!

When I stumbled across this 1960s board game in a thrift store, I couldn't resist it.  It reminds me of something straight from the era of Mad Men. It was so kitschy and retro, while also tapping into the neverending question I've been asking since junior high without ever finding the answer.

Wouldn't life be easier if we just decided what to do with our lives by playing a board game?  Especially a cute one like this!

And of course, life would be even simpler with only 6 career options to choose from: teacher, ballerina, actress, nurse, flight attendant or model.

This game seems to be an interesting hybrid of emerging feminism paired with old school ideas about what careers a woman should or could do with a little glamor and fantasy mixed in - after all, who hasn't wanted to be a ballerina or actress.

I have to say, I'm glad times have changed and our fate is no longer set on whether we know how to use makeup or have a nice smile and I'm glad I never had to go to charm school.  Not that it might not have helped me out here and there!

This game probably isn't great to play when you're having a case of the blues - it doesn't mince words - pull one of these cards for an instant case of low self-esteem.

The game is called "What shall I be?" reflecting that age old problem we have confusing what we do with who we are. A better name might be "What shall I do?". 

But it's a problem of our language.  We don't say "What do you want to do when you grow up?" - we say "What do you want to be when you grow up?".  

It's hard sometimes for me to separate my identity as a person from my profession. But even if I haven't ever answered that question "What shall I do?"  I think I can still answer the question "What shall I be?"  - Me!