John Avlon : After cowboys and Indians , mafia became our central media metaphor . Avlon : ` ` The Sopranos '' was a violent fantasy for middle-aged guys who want respect . He says Tony represented the plight of the male with its many contradictions . It's about an American man in his 30s trying to find himself after years of being told he is not good enough by women.'
John Avlon : After cowboys and Indians , mafia became our central media metaphor . Avlon : `` The Sopranos '' was a violent fantasy for middle-aged guys who want respect . He says Tony represented the plight of the male with its many contradictions . There was a guilty pleasure in watching oversensitive thugs refuse to take any crap , he says .