How important is it for you to be cool?

Undertoad · 04-30-2004, 03:05 PM

This is my followup question.

For me:

At age 14 it was more important than anything else, ever
At age 16 it was very important
At age 19 it was somewhat important
At age 24 it was somewhat important
At age 30 it was not really all that important
At age 35 it was not really all that important
At age 40 it is somewhat important

Pretty much represents the state of my relationship with the opposite sex. Pursuing or not pursuing, etc.

I imagine this is different for everyone. I like both people who are cool and people who are not.

I would like to be cool but find it's not worth all that effort to really pull it off. For some people it just comes naturally.

I think most cool people in their 20s-30s are hit in the face with something that makes them specifically uncool, such as sudden responsibility, difficult parenthood, weight gain, hair loss, difficult/inappropriate lifestyle, disfigurement, trying too hard, or some combination thereof.

ladysycamore · 04-30-2004, 03:38 PM

For me, for a while, it wasn't so much about being "cool", but being liked.

Now, I don't give a shit, because my time is limited, my patience is thin and I have more important issues to deal with than pleasing other people.

That wasn't at you UT (because I answered right after you), but in general.

And for what it's worth, you're cool....goddamnit.

jaguar · 04-30-2004, 03:39 PM

Depends largely on mood, some days I intentionally look like something out of the matrix, other days it's an old jumper and jeans. Depends who I'm seeing as well. The better the friends the less I care. I don't generally set out to impress people, how you dress impact on your mood as well, so I use that combined with music if it's best for me to be in a certain mood for something.

Lady Sidhe · 04-30-2004, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ladysycamore
For me, for a while, it wasn't so much about being "cool", but being liked.

Now, I don't give a shit, because my time is limited, my patience is thin and I have more important issues to deal with than pleasing other people.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

glatt · 04-30-2004, 04:02 PM

I think that it's not cool to admit that you care about being cool. The truely cool people don't care (or at least pretend they don't care) about being cool.

But not caring doesn't automatically make you cool. I don't really care, which is a good thing, because I'm not even close to being cool.

xoxoxoBruce · 04-30-2004, 04:11 PM

I'll second that, Glatt.

The coolest thing about UT, is he doesn't know how cool he is.

OnyxCougar · 04-30-2004, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ladysycamore
For me, for a while, it wasn't so much about being "cool", but being liked.

Now, I don't give a shit, because my time is limited, my patience is thin and I have more important issues to deal with than pleasing other people.

Preach on, sistah!

blue · 04-30-2004, 05:10 PM

I was obsessed with being cool in my teen years, and mostly I wasn't.

After about 21, I haven't given a shit.

But since I have such a huge reserve of subtle coolness almost oozing out of me, some times you'll still catch a glimpse.

Of course you only see the dork side of me in cyberspace.

Come to Wisconsin and drink with me! I will surround you with my aura of cool! 'til my wife drags my sorry ass home.

SteveDallas · 04-30-2004, 05:10 PM

1 / important

Clodfobble · 04-30-2004, 05:36 PM

My take on it is that everyone here is cool, for different reasons. I'm not talking "cool" in the "dresses fashionably" sense, I'm talking cool by... well, I guess by my own completely inexplicable standards. Cool to me means interesting, I guess, not popular.

I was obsessed with NOT being cool in my teen years, being anti-cool I suppose, the angsty teen thing and whatnot. It wasn't until mid/late high school and then college when I finally met people who were interesting enough that I was able to develop a new definition of cool.

elSicomoro · 04-30-2004, 05:46 PM

I'm pretty damned sure that I'm cool. If you agree with me, great. If you don't, I don't care.

lumberjim · 04-30-2004, 05:52 PM

when i was in junior high, i NEEDED to be cool. I copped attitudes, said " fine, be that way!" a lot, and wore bluejeans, hiking boots, a chain wallet, and heavy metal tshirts. But, i was really a soft, chubby white boy. I cared about what people thought about me through high school, until my senior year when i lost a lot of weight, and actually started to BE cool. When I started following the Dead, I stopped caring all together. That's how I knew I WAS cool.

so, my theory is that your coolness is conversely related to your desire to be cool. the harder you try, the less cool you actually are. This is mitigated by self confidence. Confidence = coolness. Arrogance is a different matter, and works the other way.

so.....to expand that, and apply it to real world examples:

Jag= NOT cool...definately trying too hard to come off as cool
UT=WAY cool....indifferent to his coolness
ME = stupid for saying something like this.

blue · 04-30-2004, 05:55 PM

And you are different now how? ;-)

04-30-2004, 05:56 PM

"How important is it for you to be cool?"

Define "cool".

lumberjim · 04-30-2004, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by blue58
And you are different now how? ;-)

uh........I'll get back to you on that.

04-30-2004, 03:05 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	How important is it for you to be cool? This is my followup question. For me: At age 14 it was more important than anything else, ever At age 16 it was very important At age 19 it was somewhat important At age 24 it was somewhat important At age 30 it was not really all that important At age 35 it was not really all that important At age 40 it is somewhat important Pretty much represents the state of my relationship with the opposite sex. Pursuing or not pursuing, etc. I imagine this is different for everyone. I like both people who are cool and people who are not. I would like to be cool but find it's not worth all that effort to really pull it off. For some people it just comes naturally. I think most cool people in their 20s-30s are hit in the face with something that makes them specifically uncool, such as sudden responsibility, difficult parenthood, weight gain, hair loss, difficult/inappropriate lifestyle, disfigurement, trying too hard, or some combination thereof.

04-30-2004, 03:38 PM	#2
ladysycamore "I may not always be perfect, but I'm always me." Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: In Sycamore's boxers Posts: 1,341	For me, for a while, it wasn't so much about being "cool", but being liked. Now, I don't give a shit, because my time is limited, my patience is thin and I have more important issues to deal with than pleasing other people. That wasn't at you UT (because I answered right after you), but in general. And for what it's worth, you're cool....goddamnit. __________________ "Freedom is not given. It is our right at birth. But there are some moments when it must be taken." ~Tagline from the movie "Amistad"~ "The Akan concept of Sankofa: In order to move forward we first have to take a step back. In other words, before we can be prepared for the future, we must comprehend the past." From "We Did It, They Hid It"

04-30-2004, 03:39 PM	#3
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	Depends largely on mood, some days I intentionally look like something out of the matrix, other days it's an old jumper and jeans. Depends who I'm seeing as well. The better the friends the less I care. I don't generally set out to impress people, how you dress impact on your mood as well, so I use that combined with music if it's best for me to be in a certain mood for something. __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain Last edited by jaguar; 04-30-2004 at 03:42 PM.

04-30-2004, 04:11 PM	#6
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	I'll second that, Glatt. The coolest thing about UT, is he doesn't know how cool he is. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

04-30-2004, 05:10 PM	#8
blue Operations Operative Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Northern WI Posts: 739	I was obsessed with being cool in my teen years, and mostly I wasn't. After about 21, I haven't given a shit. But since I have such a huge reserve of subtle coolness almost oozing out of me, some times you'll still catch a glimpse. Of course you only see the dork side of me in cyberspace. Come to Wisconsin and drink with me! I will surround you with my aura of cool! 'til my wife drags my sorry ass home. __________________ If you spot a tornado, always remember to point at it, yell "tornado!", and run like hell.

04-30-2004, 04:02 PM	#5
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	I think that it's not cool to admit that you care about being cool. The truely cool people don't care (or at least pretend they don't care) about being cool. But not caring doesn't automatically make you cool. I don't really care, which is a good thing, because I'm not even close to being cool.

04-30-2004, 05:10 PM	#9
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	1 / important

04-30-2004, 05:36 PM	#10
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	My take on it is that everyone here is cool, for different reasons. I'm not talking "cool" in the "dresses fashionably" sense, I'm talking cool by... well, I guess by my own completely inexplicable standards. Cool to me means interesting, I guess, not popular. I was obsessed with NOT being cool in my teen years, being anti-cool I suppose, the angsty teen thing and whatnot. It wasn't until mid/late high school and then college when I finally met people who were interesting enough that I was able to develop a new definition of cool.

04-30-2004, 05:46 PM	#11
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	I'm pretty damned sure that I'm cool. If you agree with me, great. If you don't, I don't care.

04-30-2004, 05:52 PM	#12
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	when i was in junior high, i NEEDED to be cool. I copped attitudes, said " fine, be that way!" a lot, and wore bluejeans, hiking boots, a chain wallet, and heavy metal tshirts. But, i was really a soft, chubby white boy. I cared about what people thought about me through high school, until my senior year when i lost a lot of weight, and actually started to BE cool. When I started following the Dead, I stopped caring all together. That's how I knew I WAS cool. so, my theory is that your coolness is conversely related to your desire to be cool. the harder you try, the less cool you actually are. This is mitigated by self confidence. Confidence = coolness. Arrogance is a different matter, and works the other way. so.....to expand that, and apply it to real world examples: Jag= NOT cool...definately trying too hard to come off as cool UT=WAY cool....indifferent to his coolness ME = stupid for saying something like this. __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

04-30-2004, 05:55 PM	#13
blue Operations Operative Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Northern WI Posts: 739	soft, chubby white boy? And you are different now how? ;-) __________________ If you spot a tornado, always remember to point at it, yell "tornado!", and run like hell.

04-30-2004, 05:56 PM	#14
marichiko Guest Posts: n/a	"How important is it for you to be cool?" Define "cool".

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