My favorite "cool" is Steve McQueen. In pictures always cool without trying to be cool- "wu wei" effortless effort! Real life soldier, motorbike rider, racer and student of Bruce Lee. From "Great Escape" where he did all the motorcycle driving (no stuntmen!), to "The Magnificent Seven", coolest of 7 "cool" men including Yul Brynner, Charles Bronson and James Coburn.
If you like Dean Martin, look for a clip of him and Foster Brooks, who plays drunk pilot, meeting Deano at bar and watch him reduced to laughing tears so bad he can hardly stand!
A different kind of cool is Jonathan Winters who could make anyone laugh, even Robin Williams!
It's a shame when people can think of and respond to "hacks" to live their life. Life is to be enjoyed and accepted, Amor Fati!
A good start! Nice work! I'd encourage you and your readers to search out Ted Gioia's Substack "The Honest Broker" for an even more in-depth look at what cool is all about. His book on the subject, "The Birth (and Death) Of the Cool" is a fun read and eye-opening in many respects. His notion of there being cool eras that offset their hotter antipodes line up with historical epochs that are sometimes brought up in political discussions.
"All the research suggests that appearing to try too hard is not cool, even if it pays off." Yes! trying to appear cool ironically makes you uncool. Two stories from younger me that helped me realize this.
1. Young me always thought I was "too cool" to laugh at my dads jokes. I would scoff at him because clearly my sense of humor was superior /s. But once I relaxed and actually listened, I got closer to him because I realized some of his jokes actually were pretty funny and we can laugh together. There are still some that I eyeroll a little at still, but I no longer feel like I have to do that just because hes my dad.
2. I had a group of friends in highschool who loved anime. I thought I was "too cool" because those are just cartoons for kids right? I would stay in the back brooding and one day I realized - wait a minute - they are the ones actually having fun here watching this while Im here sulking, maybe I should check it out with an open mind and guess what? I actually really like dragonball. I'm not as dedicated as they are to all anime but once I (again) relaxed my ego I started to really like it.
We are still of course allowed to not like dad jokes and dragonball and (insert supposedly lame thing), but only after we've decided that we are not too cool for it and give it a fair shot
Question: how to listen to audio for your posts on my work commute? I used to do it in the podcast feed but that doesn't have the new posts. Substack app has small buttons etc. so using it while driving is not friendly even if at a traffic light. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Liam's a tough one for me (and I say this as someone who got his autograph on Oasis's first US tour.) He's got swagger, but seems so very self-absorbed. I always thought Noel was the cool one in the band.
I've done some cool things, visited cool places, and had conversations with some really cool people, but I've realized that I am not cool. And that's totally ok.
"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool." - Lester Bangs in Almost Famous.
Really cool post 😎
My favorite "cool" is Steve McQueen. In pictures always cool without trying to be cool- "wu wei" effortless effort! Real life soldier, motorbike rider, racer and student of Bruce Lee. From "Great Escape" where he did all the motorcycle driving (no stuntmen!), to "The Magnificent Seven", coolest of 7 "cool" men including Yul Brynner, Charles Bronson and James Coburn.
If you like Dean Martin, look for a clip of him and Foster Brooks, who plays drunk pilot, meeting Deano at bar and watch him reduced to laughing tears so bad he can hardly stand!
A different kind of cool is Jonathan Winters who could make anyone laugh, even Robin Williams!
It's a shame when people can think of and respond to "hacks" to live their life. Life is to be enjoyed and accepted, Amor Fati!
A good start! Nice work! I'd encourage you and your readers to search out Ted Gioia's Substack "The Honest Broker" for an even more in-depth look at what cool is all about. His book on the subject, "The Birth (and Death) Of the Cool" is a fun read and eye-opening in many respects. His notion of there being cool eras that offset their hotter antipodes line up with historical epochs that are sometimes brought up in political discussions.
6. Be a Two-Percenter.
Haha, I'll second that.
Ted Lasso - be curious. There is a great scene of him playing darts and talking about being curious. It is worth watching.
"All the research suggests that appearing to try too hard is not cool, even if it pays off." Yes! trying to appear cool ironically makes you uncool. Two stories from younger me that helped me realize this.
1. Young me always thought I was "too cool" to laugh at my dads jokes. I would scoff at him because clearly my sense of humor was superior /s. But once I relaxed and actually listened, I got closer to him because I realized some of his jokes actually were pretty funny and we can laugh together. There are still some that I eyeroll a little at still, but I no longer feel like I have to do that just because hes my dad.
2. I had a group of friends in highschool who loved anime. I thought I was "too cool" because those are just cartoons for kids right? I would stay in the back brooding and one day I realized - wait a minute - they are the ones actually having fun here watching this while Im here sulking, maybe I should check it out with an open mind and guess what? I actually really like dragonball. I'm not as dedicated as they are to all anime but once I (again) relaxed my ego I started to really like it.
We are still of course allowed to not like dad jokes and dragonball and (insert supposedly lame thing), but only after we've decided that we are not too cool for it and give it a fair shot
Excellent post. Curiosity is probably the most interesting factor here.
An unquenchable curiosity for existence is, I imagine, one of the main drivers that will cure the anxiety and depression felt by so many at present.
It is welcome that nerdy curiosity is becoming "cool" once again.
I do think changing your circumstances is a good way to relieve malaise. Curiosity often drives that change.
Question: how to listen to audio for your posts on my work commute? I used to do it in the podcast feed but that doesn't have the new posts. Substack app has small buttons etc. so using it while driving is not friendly even if at a traffic light. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Liam's a tough one for me (and I say this as someone who got his autograph on Oasis's first US tour.) He's got swagger, but seems so very self-absorbed. I always thought Noel was the cool one in the band.
I've done some cool things, visited cool places, and had conversations with some really cool people, but I've realized that I am not cool. And that's totally ok.
"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool." - Lester Bangs in Almost Famous.