HOMEWORK #23 - 1st Constructivist Exploration of Cool

What does it really mean to be "cool"....
I don't think anyone can really define what it means to "be cool" or "act cool". Being considered cool is a very case specific thing, one persons "cool" might be another persons "lame". Are being popular and cool the same thing? I think the line between the two is very small. I feel that being cool depends on a persons personal interests and they are judged by the people that they surround them selves by. In school although many claim "SOF is different, and that we are all friends and there and no cliques" when you break it down maybe will come to realize everyone belongs with some "known for" group, with in those "know for" groups different things are "cool" because they all like similar things. Some pride them self's on the way they dress, just this year many of the boys are starting to wear coin purses from their belt, they are smaller than the size of an average persons palm but cost almost 200 dollars (cause they are brand name) Other like to collect sneakers, they are obsessed with keeping them fresh. People who worry about how they are dressed tend to gravitate to people who look similar, they all have one thing in common which is enough to become friends. Other kids find groups where doing extremely well in school and spend most of their time doing extra curricular activities and love to draw anime. These groups are very stereotypical and i want to make sure that my points are not taken the wrong way there are many exceptions to what i am saying but from being at SOF for 7 years this is what i have noticed.

The most popular people seem to be the loudest, everyone knows who they are. Although it might be faltering for the time being, its a hard job to accept. Because they are popular its "cool" to talk about them, gossip spreads very quickly and if something happens inside or outside the school people will talk. I believe everyone had things they are unhappy about with themselves, we all strive for perfection whether we admit it or not we admire people who are looked up to, we want to be just like them. If we see that they make something "hot" than that quickly becomes the new trend that everyone wants to follow. Celebrities play a large role in what it means to be "cool",but really it is all a trick because we try so hard to be just like them but untimely its a chase that will never be won. Its all really an illusion, tabloids new Chanel's, TV shoes constantly show these perfect people advertise you things to buy in hopes to look as good as them but the reality is we will never look like them. so why do we try? The society we live in today is so superficial that when it come down to it, cool is about looks, most of the time we will judge from how that person looks rather than what their personalities and minds has to offer.

When we are younger, fitting in is not as big a priority as it is now. Little kids just want to play with anyone they can find in their eyes everything is "cool". As I have gotten older I have come to realize that the older we get the more judgemental we become. Teenage years are particularly hard (not that i have experienced adult life) but we all care what other people think of us, many of us try to play the "I'm different" role but in the end isn't it really to be perceived as cool? Even if they don't admit it they are looking for attention and a group of followers so they can feel original. Now a days it is very hard to be perceived as an individual, if you feel piercings and tattoos is your way of self expression you automatically get associated with all the other people that have piercings and tattoos. If you shop at flee markets in downtown Brooklyn and listen to alternative music you are put into the "hipster" category. There is some sort of label and group for almost every kind of person. This leaves me thinking that there is no real definition of what it means to be "cool" i am excited to explore the meaning hopefully our class will come to some sort of conclusion.