The Death of Cool.

[Some Stupid Japanese Name]

Semantics. What's "cool" has been changing every generation. No offense intended, but why do you think your definition of cool is definitive and timeless? Because that's the implication; that cool has "died" because it's changed to something you don't agree with/understand.

I didnt define cool, society did.
Let's talk generations of cool.
Errol Flynn was cool.
John Wayne was cool.
James Dean was cool.
Jack Nicholson was cool.
Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra were cool.
Sir Francis Drake was cool.
Ethan Allen was cool.
Lord Byron was cool.
Any number of rock stars were cool and Dave Grohl was arguably the last rock star.
I think Yoshi nailed it. Part of being cool necessitates having an air of mystery. Social media and shit like TMZ has destroyed the ability to maintain mystery.

[FuryFox]

I'm not sure what the OP point is at all. One, just because dorks that over-indulge their childhood cross over into our spheres of interest doesn't mean they represent some grand cultural change. Even if they did, I doubt anyone would argue that's the new definition of cool. Two, why are celebrities the measure of what's cool? Obviously their public exposure means it's easier to grasp consensus, but I think we all know people personally that we consider "cool" based on a meaningful set of standards, versus those of an arbitrary pop culture.

That said, Timothy Olyphant is pretty damn cool, on screen and in person, in a man-crush way. Neil deGrasse Tyson would probably walk off with most my cool awards though.

[Some Stupid Japanese Name]

How can you deny the cultural change? Kids used to get picked on for reading comics and playing computer games. Now everyone is into comicbook movies and playing games (even if relegated to phone/tablet stuff).

[Doc Holliday]

You didn't mention Humphrey Bogart. Go watch Dark Passage or To Have and Have Not and tell me that ain't cool.

[Some Stupid Japanese Name]

My list was not by any means complete.

[Low]

Reality TV and Youtube have given rise to more reasons to be cynical of your brethren than admire them. There's a grand overdose of info available on virtually anyone in or out of your sphere of influence. Pretty much the reason I don't visit facebook and 95% the people I know have no clue I like video games.

[Josh]

Dave Ghrol the Last Rock Star, eh?

[Fe 26]

I'm old, too, but this thread and rant reeks of "I'm getting old and I don't understand what's 'hip' anymore."

You just have to accept culture changes.



Here's the thing: It no longer matters what you think is cool. You're no longer the age that decides what cool is.

Can you even tell us what the new "cool" is?

If you're right, and everyone else is right, "cool" is just the early stage of adult brain development where you are initially pushed out into the world of adults and people and things seem mysterious. The drug addict at the gas station on the far side of town seems cool because his body language and mannerisms are unknown and not understood. They are mysterious. Then you get older and figure out that his life probably sucks, selling trip advise to people that get off the off ramp to get gas for a quarter a tip to buy drugs.

I'm not asserting that as what "cool" is, but if you're right, its probably just the bliss of ignorance.

[Drewbacca]

Dave Ghrol the Last Rock Star, eh?

And this is why the concept of what and who is cool is much better now. People are generally more accepting and it's better.

Most of the people on SSJNs list were apparently horrible humans.

I know an opera singing gay chef. That guy is pretty cool.

[Doc Holliday]

This gas station, btw, is on the corner of the block where all the husbands who put up microhouses to play vidya because they knew their wives wouldn't want to fix them up, because wives never want to fix up those things, in case you wanted to know.