10 - MUSIC AND DRUGS EVERYWHERE

          In the world we live in, things have to come from something. Things have always had a history how everything began. Like for this case, cool. Cool has had a surprising amount of change through the course of its history. Back then, cool was just a way to defend from racism. And has time passed the idea of cool changed. 

          In my need to search for what cool was, I needed to search the history of  being cool. I stumbled upon an article written by Joeri Van den Bergh entitled "The history of "cool" ". It was of course about the history of cool which little people know about which includes me. This article was about the significant changes of cool's history. From the article I have read, music and drugs played an important roll to the change of it's meaning. 

http://www.howcoolbrandsstayhot.com/2011/02/18/the-history-of-cool/

          The purpose of reading this blog was because of my search of how media may have changed or influenced the meaning of cool and here is one thing I have found to be in that matter. In this article it was stated that "black jazz and blues musicians adopted this passive coolness as a defense against the prejudice and racism they encountered". "Hollywood also saw potential in the concept of cool" thus, creating the movie of James Dean, "Rebel without a Cause". Drugs also made an influence to coolness. "Most of the musicians led an extravagant life with drug-taking as a statement to deny the norms of society."

          In what I have read about this article, music changed the idea of coolness. It influenced it by the widespread of it or its popularity. Since music is understood throughout the world, it has been easily understood and has been part of the culture. Drugs has also been induced to the sense of detachment to deeper meaning of cool.

          The internet is not the only media which has the capacity to influence a lot of people. Music is one of which affects or may influence people. The power of multimedia to hone people idea has proven to be a great influence to anyone. Multimedia has become a great conveyor of messages. It has made messages easier to access, making false information imminent and appears in random places. Multimedia can cause false impression and interpretation if one simply believes and does not question if it is correct or not.
         

11 - BULLIES BEING POPULAR

           Through the course of our lives, bullies has always been there. They have always played a big roll in determining who are the weak ones. Bullies always been there to be in our society. But little do we know that there is something more to them to why they do it.

            In the search for a deeper understanding of bullies onto why they think its cool, I have stumbled upon an article by Jessica Marshall. It was about why bullies bully. A research done by Catherine Bradshaw, a developmental psychologist stated that "It (bullying) provides kids with a sense of power". "Power brings popularity and high social status for bullies" which support why bullies do it and think it is cool. Little did we know that bullies have "average or above average self-esteem" said Marlene Synder. With that self-esteem, bullies tend to have more friends. "It's a way of pulling your core group closer and putting someone else out of it." also stated by Bradshaw which is one reason why they do it.
          
           By reading this article, I have learn more of why bullies tend to do it. They have a different side in which shows that they do not just bully to hurt people but to gain power. Friends also had made a significant influence to what bullies do. They have become a basis of what is right and what is wrong. One example of this is a school jockey beating up a math nerd who is incapable of fighting back. By doing this, bullies gain power over some people. And with peers who do not confront them and tell them that what they are doing is wrong, bullies continue to do it as if they think their friends like what they're doing. Thus, thinking that what they are doing is cool. 

          Being a bully may be considered cool if you are one. It has been a resort in gaining popularity and power in school. Though it has a different side in which shows why they really do it, being a bully still is an attitude in which you abuse other people, which means being a bully is a negative.

9 - THE PRICE

     There has always been a cost for coolness, by coolness I mean being cool. We do not notice it that much, but there is a cost in being cool. No it's not money, but the how you act, or in short your whole behavior. Coolness in this case is not free. This means we have a "price" to pay.
     There is always a downside of everything. It's like the two sides of a coin, or simply black and white. So I wanted to know more. In my research I stumbled upon an article about the problem of being cool. It was made by Joe Robinson. This article talked about how "being cool" deciding your taste and desires. It mainly talked about how being cool is to much for us to even bother doing. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-robinson/are-cool-people-more-inse_b_757462.html

     "Cool kills the full expression of life" Joe Robinson mentioned. "It put your core needs in deep freeze by making you play the wrong audience" he added. He also mentioned that "Being cool is supposed to make us irresistibly confident in our up-to-the-minute blase-ness, but it actually feeds insecurity with the false belief that popularity or a certain image is needed for validation.". Another he put it was saying "Let's face it, the premise of cool is a stretch: You're cool if you're copying somebody else and devoid of specialness if you are yourself". 

     With all these statements he did you will put in mind that cool is slowly poisoning us to become someone who we are not. I mean cool is suppose to mean being who you are, being unique, and impressing no one else but you. He did say that "You are the audience" which means you need not to care what others think. Coolness adds up to your confidence, or it's suppose to be. But nowadays coolness becomes an enhancer for insecurities by means of needing to follow a certain image or other words mimicking. With all the things coolness has been through the premise of cool is now stretched. From all the different trend that came up somehow cool has been affected in today's perspective.

     Going back to the price of being cool Joe Robinson said that "There's a big price to be paid for excess image concerns at the behavioral level." One price we pay is missing an opportunity because of the factors we need to consider if we are to be cool. Before we jump in and do it, we first must stay there and ponder if it is appropriate for you status, which is "you being cool". Enthusiasm is a way to propel you to try new things. But because of coolness, it "turns those engines off" as he puts it. Also spontaneity, he said that it's "a spur-of-the-moment geyser of authenticity." But because of coolness it shuts it off. I think there are more numerous prices that needs to be paid, but "being conscious" pretty much sums it up. If you are conscious, everything else follows. Your self-esteem, decisions and other behavioral things would be affected because of this.
     The big fish of this whole article is to show us all the things to consider just to be cool. It just says how tedious it is to be cool. The costs are high too if you come to think of it. Being cool makes us different from who we really are. We are being masked by something society thinks is appropriate and not what we think is right. We are slowly being brainwashed by the idea of being cool. We better watch out and monitor what we do. If it still US.

8 - COOL IS MAINSTREAM

          Cool used to be a counter culture to the mainstream. Today it has become the opposite, cool is  the new mainstream. From my point of view everyone is trying too hard to be cool. This causes being cool to be lame, boring, and stupid at the same time.

          With all the positive connotations on cool I have been reading, I wanted to find out if there are people who think cool is not so cool. With that, I researched about this and stumbled upon an article by DanCitizen from his own website http://cooliskillingus.com. This article was about Cool being too mainstream and cool being hijacked by marketing and branding.

          In his article he mentioned that man has never been obsessed in being cool than before. He said that it's like we need to consume just to be cool. But come to think of it "we consume everything from what we eat and drink, and to what we watch" as he said it. "Gone are the times we produced for ourselves" he said. He also asked "when was the last time you actually produced anything?" after what he observed.

         After reading his article he did point out that cool is mainstream. After all the efforts of man has ever done to be cool and different, only ended up being too mainstream. Well, everything we consume does come from someone else. Nowadays it is harder to make something self-generated after all the efforts of mankind to simplify everything and make life easier. This is like saying everything has already been invented. But with that thought, it makes it more hard to be cool. Only few people are really cool if this is the case.

          Cool used to blaze new paths, but nowadays cool is just a fashion statement or a trend people need to follow. Cool now means just following what's new. He said that "Cool means not questioning but following" this kinda means it's uncool to question how things came to be and it just being a waste of time. With that I think cool nowadays just means being a careless type of person.

4 - BECAUSE OF STEVE BUSCEMI

          No matter how many people you ask, no matter who you ask, and no matter what age they are in, no one truly knows what cool really is. There are just numerous things to consider for one to truly say that oneself is cool. Given the help of some researchers they think they have found a distinct pattern or formula in knowing what cool is.

          Not knowing much about coolness really is, I stumbled upon an article by Jessica P. Ogilvie entitled What defines "cool". This article starts off with a simple problem one of the researchers had. He was wondering if Steve Buscemi was cool. Due to that question he had in his head, they went on researching about what cool is. They ended up having four distinct characteristics of what cool is. In this article that is where they explained those four types of coolness.

          In this article she mentioned that the researchers interviewed 508 people form the age of 15 to 56 to come up with adjectives they associate with the word "cool". It was said that participants often used terms like "confident" and "popular". They noticed that only few used terms like "aloof" and "calm". With that observation and interviews the researchers came up with a conclusion "coolness isn't necessarily easy to define, people recognize it when they see it."

            With what I've read there I can surely say that it is hard to define, I myself don't really know what the definition cool is. Other than that I think everyone does really know who's who in this world. I mean everyone knows who's cool and who's not just by looking at them. Maybe unknowingly, people have this stored memory or certain "type" that we think is cool and we just unconsciously relay that in our heads and makes us think that what we see is cool, don't you think? But maybe we'll get to know more in the following researches.

          Going to what they figured out here are the types of coolness they discovered. First was the "Social Desirability" where it is stated there that "people likely to be called cool by their peers simply because they are enjoyable to be around". It is also stated that people that fall under this category are naturally outgoing. Plus because of they're so likable, people are drawn to them, and when people are drawn to them they remain popular. Second is the Rebelliousness is was stated there that "It's an intellectual passion, reserve, audacity and grace under fire," she said. "There's a profound stillness and a holding within of energy." Next is "A West African Concept". Walker said that "Over the course of American history, mainstream culture has adapted a similar aspect of cool" as the West African notion, she said. "There are words that we wouldn't have if Africans hadn't landed on these shores, like 'cool,' 'funky' and 'hip.' " The fourth one is the "Jazz Roots". Now this definition of cool is all about music. It was said that "cool is intrinsically part of the attitude of jazz musicians, as well as the way that the genre evolved." 

          Having read all of those different definitions of cool, I could say that it goes way back than what we really think what it means. It's not just a shallow meaning like what we are always hearing about. Cool does not just necessarily mean one thing. It's too broad just to some up in one distinct meaning. What I did learn from this article is cool had history it didn't just came up and the meaning was already the definition of cool, because if that's so then we wouldn't have a hard time defining it.

          To sum it all up, I realized that our definition of cool "nowadays" doesn't really have that much sense to it. It's not really important to be cool if the definition of cool is based in today's meaning, because from what I read in this article our definition of cool nowadays it just profound. It is just about poor habits around heath and self-image. If everyone would just base their coolness in today's perspective on what cool is, then maybe it's not such a good idea to be cool after all.

 

3 - CHANNEL COOL

          I bet you have a trend that you seem to have interest in, or maybe even have your own. Do you follow a specific trend? Are you trying  to fit in with others? How did that turn out? Did you got in their jargon? The way I see our social life today, it seems that it's following a specific rule, like there is a consequence if you get out the norms and break the rule.

          After reading previous articles, I then searched about the different types of trend people think are cool out of curiosity and research, and so I stumbled upon this article called "How to be "Cool"?" by Gabriel Angelo which mainly talks about different "specialized social skills" as he says it. This just means that it is about the different ways we people engage conversations with different kinds of culture or trend. This just means going inside different perspectives of "cool".

          "Cool people are experts in their own particular trend of coolness" as the writer puts it, and that "You have to be in sync with their particular vibe and know their culture." When you are trying to be cool he stated that you should "...become knowledgeable, and immerse yourself in that culture and trend." which apparently leads to a better understanding of ones culture.

          In that case, this is like saying to understand ones culture you have to get "in" their culture. This just like going to different countries, they have different cultures and beliefs they follow. To learn their culture and beliefs one must be with those people, he/she must interact and communicate to exchange ideas. There is no other way of knowing how it really is to be in that specific culture unless you go and get to know it all before hand.

          Knowing their culture does give leverage and makes it more easier for you to understand and follow their trend if you really do want to follow it. You may also find it easier to be "in your zone." This is like "looking before you leap" or in other words checking if you really are cut out to be in that zone. 

          Summing it all up, this post just tells you to be in your comfort zone. You make your own "lifestyle-game" as he puts it. With that, you could easily be yourself, not caring about what others think but just setting your own way of being cool. Cool is being "You" and not caring what they think, it is just doing  what you think is right and not really caring about others belief or trend on being cool. Being cool really has nothing  to do with following a trend as far as I have researched. Although, if you really do want to attract a certain type of people, I suggest you do immerse in their culture and understand what they really are into. I'm just saying that you should also have your own channel of cool to be cool.

         

2 - MR. COOLIO'S GUIDE TO COOLNESS

          Ever wanted to be cool? Of course you do, everyone does. But do you even know what cool is? Ever wonder what's the secret to being cool? We all have that itch to know that secret. We've always been cracking that code. We have always been trying to be cool.  Here's a few heads up.

          "The Key to Being Cool" by Kimberly Green shows pointers and ideas on how to be cool, which may be something you want to look into. I did look into it since I don't really know what's the secret of being cool, maybe you want to read it too as I did. Mainly, her article describes a "cool" person and how he/she becomes that person. It shows the right way of being cool and the way we look at coolness. She also narrowed down a distinct characteristic of a cool person making it easier to understand and do.

         In her article she stated that, "It's an attitude not a persona." She also said that "you have to know you are cool", just to be cool. Being cool isn't a goal you need to achieve, because if you do think it is, you'll never be cool as I understood in reading her article. For all we know being cool is not a behavior as she said in her article "it's something you just know you are." It's a mind set, because if we start worrying for what people think, we won't achieve the legendary title of cool. You also have to be helpful, considerate and intelligent to be cool, "if you lack in any of these fundamental qualities, you'll find it hard to be truly cool outside of your social circle."

          Basically what she is saying is we should care less on what people say and just do what we think is right. We don't need others opinion to pull us down, we don't need to please them, we just need to be ourselves. Also in order to be cool, we also have to be helpful, considerate, and intelligent, which I think makes sense. True coolness transcends to all sorts of social groups. To be cool you must not just be inside your own world, you must also take into consideration other people and interact with them with natural skills in communicating.

         Kimberly also said that "Once you achieved all the requirements, you can accessorize your coolness with items..." that is because you are cool. This means anything you wear would undoubtedly be cool just because you are and not trendy. "Someone who is truly a cool person doesn't concern themselves with current trends." "Most of the people screaming to the next big trend will always be the same person who envy the cool people". She said that the slight outlawness makes them cool, I say it's badass.

          After reading her article you would now have an idea on how to be cool. Like that famous slogan of nike "just do it" It is right, just do it, don't let opinions worry you. Being cool sets it's own rules. Being cool doesn't have characteristics, you are it's characteristics. If you still care what they think well chances are you aren't cut out for this, so don't be envious, think cool, and before you know it you will be cool.

1 - ARE YOU ASSUMING?

          We've all been in that stage where we follow a certain trend, where we try to be one of the cool guys. We try to follow and "do as they do". We do exactly what they do. Never in our high school days we wanted to be "uncool" or "dorky". We always wanted to fit in and be looked up by others. It is like we have this reputation we are eagerly protecting.
           
          Throughout my research, I stumbled upon an article by Jake Moore called "A Different Viewpoint on Kilbourne's Article on "Being cool". It was about his perspective on being cool. He said that being cool is "more than just an excuse for teenage behavior". He later understood that it was "phases of maturity".  "Assumptions are immature judgments that people make, and teasing and physical attacks are immature actions that assumptions can lead to.", he said that those are some reasons why college is great step to be more mature. All the immaturity you had back in high school would eventually be gone "any maturation incomplete after high school can be completed in college" as he stated. In his article he also shared some of his stories back in high school which supported his ideas in the topic of "being cool".

          Reading through his article (before he shared his story) I actually had another question "why do we want to be cool?". It did kind of sounded stupid, that we try our best to become one of the "cool" guys. But then as I continued and as I understood it more it did make sense why we try to be cool. It's another form of hiding as I understood it. Being uncool is kind of a ticket for you getting beat up. That is true, since unpopular people tend to get teased and beat up most of the time just because they are not like the cool guys. They were always the outcasts. They always get overpowered by fame and popularity.

          Jake Moore also said that "I think assumptions get people into trouble, and college many times provide a clean slate where many new students can shed all the assumptions and just be themselves."

          As he reached the end of the story, he said that "I got to know a lot of people, and hardly of them fit into the stereotypes they fit back in high school.". I thought of that as a cruel way of life, stereotyping people. We always want to put label on people, which apparently isn't much of a brand new thing to any of us. It is wrong, and as I read his article I understood that people shouldn't be more assuming. It just leads to more and more tension.

          The way I see it, being cool isn't really just being cool. There is more to it than just that. Cool just sets status quos, which apparently nowadays we abide by it. We treat this status quo as if it's a commandment, and because of that we try to follow it which becomes into a pyramid where there are higher people. As I understood it, coolness would just be noticed until you are known, not through popularity but on how you really are. With that, maybe we can say that being cool is just another way of saying being ourselves and being mature enough to really care about what others think about us.

INTRODUCTION

          Trying to fit in? We've all been there, and we are still even doing it nowadays. Given the facts we heard about getting out of our shells and showing who we really are. As I see it, we all really want this so badly. Everywhere you look now there is this one person who tries so hard to be "cool". He goes with the flow of what's "hot", what's "in", and and what's "new". I find this a problem, trying too hard to fit in.

         What is cool anyway? In the dictionary cool means low temperature. In an aesthetic definition, it means an aesthetic of attitude, behavior, and style. Looking deeper at it the connotation says that being "cool" means being unlike the others, being that one person who did something no else did. Cool just means being that one guy who apparently does not care about anyone's opinion. On the other hand, people who want to be and try to be cool care about everything people say to them.

          We all have different perspectives on being cool. A school bully may think he is cool because of beating other "inferior" students because he can. Quarter backs in school varsity for example, who happen to beat up people who are in their circle of interest, or an "emo" kid who happens to be suicidal for he thinks it's cool. You see, there are just numerous things to take into consideration just to come up with a concrete idea of how to be cool. My point is why try to be cool, when there isn't any specific idea for being "cool".

          Why do we try to fit in? Is it because we are afraid of embarrassment?  Isn't that too tedious to do, trying too hard just to impress other people and stand out? Yes, we may still do it anyway, but let's open our minds to the given fact that there's more it than just being cool. Let's try to find out how and why we need to be "cool" through the use of my blog.