HW 34 - The Cool Pose.....

In class we talked about cultural maps, and how the people who are closest to us effect out perspective on life, what is considered to be "cool" and who we surround our self with. Our cultural map leads us to make choices that allows to create new cultural maps. The idea of what is "cool" has seemed to change over time, its almost alarming how much of a competition being considered "cool" has become. There seems be very specific idea (stereotype) of what is normal and "cool" based on peoples race, class and gender. It seems that the ones who are already wealthy don't feel they have to be as obvious about it but the middle/lower class people go out of there way to buy to most expensive brand name stuff to prove a point. A rich white women who lives in a penthouse apartment on the upper west side might have a closet pull of designer top label clothes, but rather than having the designer name printed all over her dress or shoes the label is discreetly hidden in the back, the only way anyone would know would be by looking at the tag. Whereas your average black boy living in a small apartment with his family goes the extra mile to spend 300 on a Gucci belt (that is very obviously Gucci) or ridiculously expensive sneakers that have the brand name on them, the same goes for every other article of clothing they own (coats, jeans, tee-shirts ect.) logic would have it be the opposite way but it seems the people who are not as fortunate seem to have a point to prove. Its "cool" to have expensive stuff.

First impression seems to be all that counts, teenagers especially are judged on what they look like on the outside more than what is behind the mask. As we explored earlier tattoos and piercings have become much more widely acceptable so more people or all gender and race are marking up and putting holes in there bodies. For most races there are things considered "cool" and "not cool" but there seems to be less and less of a distinction between how different races represent them self, it all seems to be blending in with each other. Its still a question i wonder how has this idea or cool vs. uncool was created....

Everyone wants to be cool, I remember for a past HW assignment i ran across an article that said the ultimate compliment or title a teenager looks for is to be called "cool" or considered "cool" by others. Being cool seems to come hand and hand with popularity, when you have a lot of friends you "cool" but u have a lot of friends because your "cool". I think it ultimately is a chase for power, in many cases we take advantage of the people considered to be under us! Where do the ones who don't care about being "cool" and popularity come in? Why is do divided, why do some care and others don't? what is different about that ones who do care vs. the ones who could care less? I think confidence has a lot to do with it, the ones who are confident in the person they are (brains behind beauty) don't feel they need to fit the stereotypes, however the ones who try so hard (beauty before brains) are not as confident and hide behind what makes them appear cool. It would be very interesting to see how different life would be if the roles reversed.