I was listening to the radio today at work, and this commercial came on. It went something like this:

Originally Posted by Commercial

What makes a person cool; is it something a person is born with or is it the accessories in his abode?

Hearing this made me a bit angry. First off, what does it matter if I'm cool or not. Secondly, is this insurance company dumb enough to make us believe that our possessions make us cool? And finally, why is an insurance company angling for the "cool" factor.. especially on the radio.

Anyway, what do you think makes a person cool - the possessions, the personality, the conversation. Does cool even matter?

Personally, I have never felt cool, and nor have I wanted to be cool. When I think of cool, I see people who are .. well slick, reserved, and just have a personality that separates them from others. I don't think that being cool is that important because you can't be born with these qualities.

I am a big dork, and I don't mind if I don't take life seriously. And then again, I've been called cool by several people. So what is it that makes a person cool?

I don't like the word "cool", so I don't use it. I say someone's awesome, if I like them. Awesome or nice, not cool.

I guess "cool" is more about someone's possessions or looks. Like, you know how teenagers in movies squeal "he's so cool!" about a good-looking guy with an awesome car, not even knowing him a bit? I mean, not in person.

Of course, you can also behave in a "cool" way...which to me means acting like a big star you're not. That's kind of annoying, really.

I think someone who is truly 'cool' is someone who is kind and friendly, and who can act as a role model to others in a positive way.

Popularity-wise, I'm not fond of the term.

• I use the term cool to describe something that's pretty damn alright...and hey I think I'm pretty cool myself. XDDD;
  
  But there is no way you couldn't call me a little dorky, and silly...but I still think I'm a pretty cool person.
  
  I think you're taking the term 'cool' too seriously to be honest...

It depends on personality to me. At the end of it all, no matter what things someone has, if they have a rotten personality they automatically become uncool to me. I don’t really use cool as a word to describe people, more as a word to describe things anyway. I don’t think it’s important to try to be what others think is cool. Just being yourself is good enough for me unless you’re one of those people that I can’t stand, but it’s still better to be yourself.

Meh, I tend to think the coolest things are what the general populace would probably think are geeky or "quirky". I don't go out of my way to be weird, but people who come from the world of "normalcy" have always considered me to be eccentric.

I honestly don't care what you or the radio or the kid in hot topic, or the record store clerk, or the fashion design student think are cool, I just care about what I think is cool.

Bitchy and true. :D Don't get me wrong though, I am actually pretty damn nice.

I use the word cool when I don't know what else to say. That, and the words 'cute' and 'nice'. I hate it when I actually want to talk about something I genuinely like, and I can't think of anything better to say than 'cool'

Originally Posted by padfootsy

I use the word cool when I don't know what else to say. That, and the words 'cute' and 'nice'. I hate it when I actually want to talk about something I genuinely like, and I can't think of anything better to say than 'cool'

I tend to use it as something like...

"Oh I am sorry I spilled your soda."

"It's cool, don't worry about it."

• I have never felt 'cool' because I don't do stuff that people expect me to do.
  So I don't really care.
  They can have their opinions and I can have mine.

What makes a person "Cool" to me is personality, and likes/dislikes.
Some of the junk the person owns may be cool, but that doesnt mean that THEYRE cool.
You are not your posessions. >:B

But.. why did you get offended at the commercial?
It was probably just something silly.
Some insurance company's ad campaign here once consisted of people on the radio asking questions like "Whats the speed of dark?"
They werent putting anything or anyone down, nor was it a personal attack... they were just asking a dumb question. D:

Coolness is totally subjective.

I'm pretty dorky when it comes down to it, but I'm sure there's one or two people out there who've called me 'cool' before.

But yeah, being 'cool' or popular seems to ride on posessions a lot of the time, but this happened more often when I was younger (middle, high school). Nowadays, I don't really think of anyone as 'cool'. They are who they are. One person may be more unique than another, but that doesn't necessarily make them cooler.

I also use the phrase, "That's cool" in the same way Verucca says it. More in reference to "I'm down with that" or "No problem, no worries."

I think the problem is that what a person considers 'cool' is completely subjective and different for everyone.

In some circles being a big dork is cool. In other having the newest toys/ tech/ gadgets makes someone cool. In other circles simply being a trend whore makes someone cool.


I think it depends on each individual's definition of cool - I think of cool as a person I would like hanging out with and that would get along with my friends. Like, if I meet a new person at a party and think they would fit in with my group I would tell a friend "I met this guy, he's pretty cool, I'm going to invite him to hang out sometime." Generally for me a person being cool would be about the personality and interests meshing with mine and my friends - that doesn't mean that someone we don't get along with isn't cool to someone else- but in my mind I wouldn't describe them as cool.

I think I'm rambling and mixing up what I'm trying to say - so perhaps it would be best for me to just stop :?

okay i have a whole speil for this. someon is truly "cool" if
a)they know how to dress their body, and don't just wear what's "in"
b)they have a group of friends that trust them and they trust
c)they're confident and don't really care what others think

i belive that confidence is key. as long as you're confident about youself, it won't matter what others think about you. not that it does in the first place...

In 6th grade (so 2 years ago), my best friend and I were buillied a bit by the "cool" crowd.

I remember saying something along the lines of "The cool people are not the ones with the stylish outfits and perfect hair. The cool people are the ones that treat you respectfully and don't exclude you."

I was 11, gimme a break.

Well to me it is the personality that makes you a "cool" person in the working/ college world. Clothing is also something that defines your image and trust me image and personality matter in the working world. It depends on what you are doing and how you have to accomplish it. The ideology of "cool" is multiple things and normally I was never a "cool" or "popular" person (even though a lot of people knew who I was). Much of my high school years was based on a handful of friends and one friend I just got lucky enough to be my best friend for the year or more (depending on if we had the same classes or not). Actually over the years in high school I collected a handful of friends but I was never cool. I tries making myself known but that was a mistake and never worked well.

It was only in college when I understood that I was a pretty decent person and that I was not "ugly" or "uncool", in fact many guys liked me. From there I just kind of had a semi outgoing personality but still slightly on the shy side. I kind of like how I am personality wise and never will change for no one. :)

• Steve isn't cool, and he doesnt care.
  His brains will get him somewhere in life.
  People who were too "cool" to pay attention in class, how does being the cool one benefit them 20 years from now when everyone forgets about them and moves on with their lives?

Originally Posted by Steve the Garden Hose

• Steve isn't cool, and he doesnt care.
  His brains will get him somewhere in life.
  People who were too "cool" to pay attention in class, how does being the cool one benefit them 20 years from now when everyone forgets about them and moves on with their lives?

It doesn't. Unless they're like a singer or something, but that's so rare that it's barely worth mentioning.

I only got upset is because the commercial had absolutely NO tact whatsoever. Are you cool... or are you cool cause of your stuff? PROTECT YOUR STUFF AND COOLNESS XD;;

But the whole thing just made me think about the coolness factor. Personally I don't care if I'm cool or not. I rather like being dorky. 8)

To me, I find someone cool if they're friendly and they seem interesting or if I feel I can connect with them in some way. I don't care if they're geeky to the core, if they're nice, they're cool in my book. Back in high school and college, my definition of cool didn't really align with others, it seemed. I couldn't really see the allure of the "cool" crowd because they seemed more shallow, less trustworthy, and I guess, just not very interesting! So I was happy being cool in my little circle of friends. Material possessions don't mean a thing if you're a jerk or something! I think I pretty much second everything Sia said.

I still joke about not being the cool kid, but the older I get, the more I see that not trying, but just being myself, is what will make me cool to others. And if I'm not, in the end, who really cares? Because to those who matter most to me, I am plenty cool! ;)

When my lil sister still idolized me, she used to think I was 'cool'

I know I'm not. I'm weird, nerdy, bookworm, just everything the farthest away from 'cool'

But does it matter? No. 'Cool' is just a judgment of hotiness and that is superficial.

I'm with the weird kids group because we don't try not to be ourselves just because of a stupid word, 'cool'

• When you're younger, possessions and the friends you had basically represented you. When you're older, personality is the nice thing to have and you develop it when you're younger. x.x I don't like the word "cool", but I hear it all the time in real life

I don't believe in coolness.
I say cool, but never call someone cool, because if you call someone cool, lets say, a friend, then the other friend will feel a tiny bit of loss in him/her because she/he wasn't called cool.
Nothing makes you "cool". Anyone can be called "cool". -.-

My guild on Gaia is called "Cool People Here"--only because I'm banking on people's desire to be "cool". :roll:

As far as what makes me cool...... The fact that I don't care about it. I don't tend to think about it a lot.

Don't know, I don't think we will ever have an answer.

It really depends on your definition of "cool". For me, I think "coolness" is in their personality, experiences, and things that they have done in the past. But by that definition, just about everyone is cool to me, sooo... *whistles the "Everyone is Special" song*

As for coolness in terms of popularity...? My personal belief is that popularity is a myth. People are only "popular" in the eyes of the people who like them. I cannot stand the attention whores who spend their lives trying to be "famous" or "popular".