What do you think about the premise of “desire” causing suffering? Can you relat

What do you think about the premise of “desire” causing suffering? Can you relate to these ideas at all? What do you think about occupations today that Buddha would disapprove of? Comm/Media students often disagree with the idea that Buddha would disapprove of a “Mad Men” occupation. Why is this so? (Without giving anything away right away, I am hoping that one student will eventually note what that “Mad Men” occupation is.)
As an aside, I have always felt extremely lucky that my occupation was to teach students about the great works of art, architecture (and, later, music and philosophy). I also work in the studio to create works with a positive message. And this was before I knew anything about Buddhism. Making a lot of money in the corporate world was never one of my aims, although it is a desire for many.
What do you think about these ideas? Can they reflect aspects of your lives, or are you very distanced from such old-fashioned ideas?