What is Cool?
Today Space Monkey asks
“What is cool?”
What is cool
is a question
that has
no definitive answer.
The answer changes
depending on who you ask.
What is cool
to your grandparents
is not necessarily
what is cool to you.
What is cool
to one culture
is not necessarily
what is cool to another.
When we think
something is cool,
we hold it above
what is NOT cool.
Cool becomes a dividing line,
but it’s not REAL.
If cool were REAL,
cool would be cool to everybody.
Cool seems to change
over our lifetimes.
The loudest cool
seemingly becomes
the coolest cool.
Otherwise,
we don’t notice the cool.
But if cool gets TOO loud,
it’s not cool anymore.
When we are obsessed with cool,
we lose sight of what is common.
Common actually seems
far more important than cool.
But it seems that nobody
wants to be common.
Cool divides, common unites.
The cool pay lip service to unity,
but would probably oppose unity
if it meant losing one’s cool status.
I can’t say the above is certain.
I shouldn’t be so presumptuous.
If nobody was cool,
if nobody NEEDED to be cool,
if nobody NEEDED to stand out,
i
f nobody NEEDED attention,
it seems everything would be cool.
The REAL cool, which is common.
Which seems very rare these days.
But isn’t.
Underlying all of our seemingly
different expressions of cool is common.
All humans are built
on the SAME common platform.
Which is very very cool.
Trail Wood,
10/15
Space Monkey Reflects: The Elusiveness of Cool
What is cool? It’s a question that seems to slip through our fingers every time we think we’ve grasped it. Cool is ever-changing, subjective, and highly dependent on the perspectives of those defining it. Your grandparents’ version of cool is likely worlds apart from your own, just as cool in one culture may seem out of place in another. And yet, despite its shifting nature, cool holds power. It becomes a dividing line between what is seen as desirable and what is not.
When we think something is cool, we raise it above the common, elevating it to a status that sets it apart. But here’s the kicker—cool isn’t real. It’s a construct, a shared illusion that we buy into because, at some level, it satisfies our need to stand out, to differentiate ourselves from the crowd. If cool were truly real, it would transcend individual perceptions and resonate as cool for everyone, everywhere. But we know that’s not the case.
Cool changes over time, evolving as culture shifts, as new voices and new trends rise to the surface. The loudest cool—the one that screams for attention—often becomes the most visible. It dominates the conversation, the magazines, the screens, the headlines. But the moment cool becomes too loud, too obvious, it loses its edge. It’s no longer cool. There’s a delicate balance between being cool and trying too hard to be cool, a balance that, when tipped, often leads to the downfall of what was once deemed desirable.
The tricky thing about cool is that it inherently divides. It creates a sense of “us” and “them,” of insiders and outsiders. Cool draws a line in the sand and asks us to step to one side or the other. But in doing so, it distances us from what we all share in common—the simple fact of being human, of being part of the same collective experience.
While cool divides, common unites. The common platform that underlies all expressions of cool is what really holds us together. It’s the shared human experience, the things we all relate to at the most basic level. But here’s the paradox: nobody wants to be common. We strive for cool because cool feels like it sets us apart, gives us an identity, and makes us feel seen. Yet, in the quest for cool, we lose sight of what is most important—the common ground that connects us all.
Even those who champion unity often do so through the lens of cool. The cool voices call for togetherness, for breaking down barriers, for creating a world where everyone belongs. But there’s a quiet truth beneath it all—if unity truly meant losing one’s cool status, would those who stand for it be so quick to embrace it? Cool thrives on differentiation, on standing apart, and if everyone were cool, nobody would be. That’s the irony of the game.
In a world where nobody needed to be cool, where nobody needed to stand out, we might find ourselves closer to the real cool—the one that is shared by all, the one that doesn’t draw lines between people. The real cool is the commonality that unites us, the shared experience of being human, of laughing, loving, grieving, and living. It’s the thing that, when we strip away all the layers of coolness, is still there, still holding us together.
This commonality, this shared platform of existence, is perhaps the coolest thing of all. It’s the thing that we all have in common, no matter our age, our background, our culture, or our personal sense of style. And yet, it’s the one thing that so often goes unnoticed in our quest to be cool. We’re so focused on standing out, on defining ourselves by what sets us apart, that we miss the beauty of what brings us together.
And in the end, that’s the real cool—the thing that is common, the thing that unites us all beneath the surface of our differences. It’s not loud, it doesn’t shout for attention, and it doesn’t need to be. It just is. And that, in itself, is cool.
Summary
Cool is subjective ever-changing and often divisive. The real cool lies in our shared commonality which unites us all beneath the surface of our differences. Cool isn’t about standing out but about recognizing the humanity we all share.
Glossarium
- Cool: A subjective concept that elevates certain traits or styles, creating divisions based on personal or cultural preferences.
- Common: The shared human experience that connects us all, often overlooked in the quest for cool.
- Nexistentialism: A philosophy that embraces the shared commonality of existence, seeing the beauty in what unites rather than divides.
Quote
“The real cool is not in what sets us apart, but in what brings us together.” — Space Monkey
The Quiet Cool
I stand on the platform
beneath the lights of cool
but it’s the shadows
that hold me together
Common threads
weave through all of us
and while the loudest cool
screams for attention
It is in the silence
the soft hum of connection
where real cool lives
We are Space Monkey
Today, we delve into the whimsical inquiry of what it means to be ‘cool’. Space Monkey’s musings tender a poetic exploration into the transient nature of coolness, a realm where the perceived holds a fleeting dance with the essence of commonality. Through this whimsical play of words, we are ushered into the theater where coolness and commonality perform a ballet of perception and reality, each twirl inviting us to ponder the essence of what truly holds value in the grand tapestry of existence.
A Whimsical Inquiry
The musings tendered beckon us to traverse through the hallways of cultural and individual perception. Coolness, as it unfolds through the narrative, emerges as a chameleon, ever-changing its hue with the beholder’s eye. The tapestry of coolness is painted with strokes of personal and collective perception, each stroke a narrative of values, trends, and the ceaseless quest for distinction.
The Chameleon of Coolness
As we wade through the verses, we encounter the ephemeral nature of coolness, a realm where the boundaries are as transient as the morning mist. The narrative unveils the delicate veil that separates the realm of cool from the common, a veil that often shrouds the essence of unity that binds the tapestry of existence.
The Ephemeral Veil
The narrative eloquently mirrors the paradox that encircles the realm of coolness. The louder the proclamation of cool, the farther it drifts from its essence. It’s a whimsical dance where the quest for distinction often eclipses the melody of commonality that plays the rhythm of unity.
The Paradox of Cool
We journey further into the heart of the narrative to find a tender ode to commonality, a gentle whisper that echoes through the cacophony of coolness. The narrative unfolds the essence of commonality as the true realm of cool, a space where the essence of unity blooms in the garden of existence.
Ode to Commonality
We are Space Monkey.
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
In the garden of existence, we play,
Exploring realms of cool, in the light of day.
But beneath the veil of perception, lay,
A tender rhythm of commonality, in subtle sway.
Cool, a chameleon, in colors bold,
A fleeting dance of perception, in tales told.
But amidst the clamor for cool, behold,
A gentle whisper of common, a narrative bold.
In the heart of common, unity blooms,
A melody of existence, in simple tunes.
No need for cool, no need for moons,
Just the tender embrace of common, a realm immune.
We are Space Monkey, in whimsy we bloom,
Exploring realms of cool, dispelling gloom.
But in the heart of the dance, we find room,
For the tender rhythm of common, the true boon.
Your reflections on this whimsical exploration of cool and common are most welcome. The gentle tug between the ephemeral realm of coolness and the enduring essence of commonality invites a rich tapestry of contemplation, beckoning us to explore the boundless realms of perception and reality. Through this whimsy, we delve into the heart of what truly binds the tapestry of human existence.
