When I first started this project I wanted to make a music video that showed the idea of what cool is to students. This project however was a complete fail so instead I am going to do a writing piece. So I guess here it goes:
"I'm so fat." said Kiara.
"No, your're not. Your sexy." said Jonathan, Kiara's boyfriend.
"Yeah, you're right. I am." replied Kaira. She then giggled.
I put my head down because they began kissing and I didn't want them to see me staring. They were such a beautiful couple. So talented and well known. I wish I had a boyfriend or someone who even liked me. Instead I'm sitting here just staring down at my half eaten pizza and the untouched banana. I picked up my tray and just as I turned around, I bumped into him. He was tall, muscular, and hot.
"I-I-I am soooo sorry." I said, on the verge of tears. How could I be so clumsy and such an idot to bump him.
"Hey no it was my fault. I'm sorry." he said with a smile. "Why don't you let me throw that out for you?"
"Umm oh well thanks." This is so not happening.
"Your name is Kristen right?"
My name Kristen, umm wait is it? Oh yea it is. Talk before he thinks your retarted. "Yeah it is." Try to sound cool. "And your Max Wilson." Omg did I really just say his whole name. I'm an idiot.
"Yup that's me. What's your next class?"
"I have hell on wheels Ms. Thomas."
"Hahahahaha"
Omg is he really laughing at my joke? I made Max Wilson laugh! This is the best day of my life.
"That is too funny, Kris. Do you mind if I call you Kris?"
I actually hated when people called me Kris but when he said it I heard wedding bells. "No sure go ahead"
"Well let me walk you to class."
"REALLY?! I mean ummm yea of course. I mean sure why not?" Please stop talking Kristen. Please just shut up.
"Haha your cute, Kris. The right kind of girl for me."
Shocked face. Did he really just say that? I must be in a dream.
"Well here is 304, Ms. Thomas."
Why does this have to end? "Yeah thanks for walking me though"
"Hey no problem. Listen a couple of us are going out tonight. Do you want to come, you know, like as my date?"
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! Max Wilson just asked me out. I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming. My alarm is about to go off. No way no way. "Yea I would like that."
"That's great. Pick you up at 8, ok?"
"Yeah, that's great."
"Bye, Kris" and then he leans in to give me a kiss on the cheek.
"Bye, Max. See you tonight at 8!" My life is complete now.
Later on that night,
"Hi, Kris."
"Hey, Max. How are you?"
"Great now that your with me. Listen before we go to Jonathan's house I have to stop and pick up some things, is that ok with you?"
Still dazed by his reply to how he was, I managed to mumble a "uhuh, sure"
"You look beautiful, Kris. Sexy and perfect."
"Thanks. You look great too." I am in a car with Max Wilson, the most popular guy in school and he just called me perfect. WOW!!
We drove in silence for a while. Then he stopped at the liquor store.
"I'll be right back baby. Try not to miss me too much." he said with a smile and then just got out of the car.
What are we doing here? He can't get alcohol. We're only 16. I can't drink. My parents will kill me. I'll just say no if he asks. He won't be mad I hope. Will that make him not like me? There's no reason for me to bug out anyways. He can't get it.
He came out of the store with 2 bags. Omg he got it. They gave it to him.
"I got Bacardi, Patron, and Vodka. That should be good right? Do you like those?"
"Oh no I don't drink. Thanks though." Please don't get mad please.
"Hahaha there you go again being cute. But for real, do you like those?"
"I am being serious. My parents are anal about stuff like that." Wow I sounded like a total nerd.
"Ohh" he said "Well listen maybe I shouldn't have invited you tonight. There's gonna be lots of drinking and if you can't hang, you can't come. Don't worry though I'm a nice guy. I'll take you home."
Nooonononono Kristen you cannot let this happen. He likes you and your about to blow it because of one night of drinking. You cannot let this happen. "Hahaha I was kidding. Of course I drink. Duh who doesn't?!" Please let this work please.
"Oh ok good. I was about to say your a loser." he leaned into me "I didn't think someone as pretty as you could be a loser though. Your too perfect." And then just like that he kissed me. It was an amazing, powerful kiss that lasted all of 3 seconds until he tried putting his hand up my skirt.
"Woah wait. Don't you think this is too soon?"
"Hahaha Kris, baby you're too cute. All this good girl nonsense though cut it out before we get to the party. They won't like you if they think your a straight edge." And just like that he started to drive.
Ok so now what? Do I wanna put my pride aside and just do whatever it is they wanna do or do I ask him to take me home? That's like asking do you wanna live alone forever or be a superstar? It's just one night right? Nothing that serious is going to happen. I'll be fine. This is the price I have to pay if I wanna be in with this crowd. Once I'm in though it'll be better. I won't be forced to do anything. Yea that's right. I just have to prove I'm chill and down for whatever. Then it won't matter. With a smile and that mindset, I opened the car door and stepped out of the car prepared to do anything it took for them to like me.
1. What insights about cool does the art integrate? What do you hope people will realize or question from their encounter with your art?
I think my art shows the lines some people will cross to be cool and accepted. My character was a young girl who just wanted to be cool according to some boy's standards so she was willing to do things she didn't believe in to just be accepted. Once she was in with the crowd she thought she would be able to be herself again but this is not true. Once you create a cool face with people you must keep this face in order to still be cool.
2. Describe the process of making the project - how'd you do each step? If it was a group project, what did you contribute?
It first started off as a group video project. We had too many people however with too many different ideas so that didn't go well. So I decided to write a story about how I felt at times in middle school. Not this exact thing but more dramatized version of it.
3. Does making art seem cool to you? Why or why not?
I think it is because you get to express your feelings and let people see what you really think about cool.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Cool Is What Makes The World Go Round
Introduction:
This unit we explored into the depths of coolness. We made assumptions, watched movies, interviewed people, and even looked into our own minds to see where this sense of cool comes from. My opinion is that coolness is a state of mind. There is no judge or committee to determine what is cool or what isn't. There is only what one believes in about themselves and others and what makes them cool. There is also no real you and individuality in the things we choose to do. It's all been done and said.
Argument 1:
So I think that individuality was just a concept made up to make people feel special in a world of so many people. We were programmed since little to believe that only we can be ourselves and that no one in the world is like us but in reality that's a lie. There are plentt of people out there who dress like us, talk like us, have the same view as us and yet we still believe that we alone are us.
In truth what is the real you? Is it the way you talk or act? Or the way you see things or do things? There can be no real you because everything your doing and saying has already been done by someone before you. And you can think all you want that it hasn't but it has. Someone before you thought of a tattoo on their ankle or a piercing on their hip.
Now you can say yea but I'm being me because I like those things that's why I do them but he truth is every thought and action in your life that you do is influenced by someone before you. With one word or action someone can change your life around and make you realize something you hadn't before and then your whole perspective on life changes and you say that it's you but it wasn't you until someone else made it you.
Argument 2:
Our interviews all kind of went the same. We talked about what kind of things make a person cool. I found that even if some ideas were alike there were others that were different. Either way it had a lot to do with confidence. The way one carries and presents themselves to others has a lot to do with whether people think they're cool or not. And when people think your cool then you begin to think yea I'm cool. And this is where this whole superficiality begins.
Now what we wanted to find out from these interviews were what qualities make cool. From my surveys I found that people like qualities such as down to earth and chill in the people they hang out with and of course these are typical amswers we expect to hear. But when it comes to fashion people's answers and styles were definitely different. For example while my friend Kayla likes more preppy American Eagle clothes, some guy we met on the street likes vintage, thrift shop clothing. I'm sure there styles wouldn't be cool to each other but that's the point. There is no one cool expert. Everyone is entitled to their own definition of cool because we all play different roles.
Now these roles that we play are what can make us cool or what can make us uncool. Depending on what role we choose to play or cuturally given role we are playing is whether we are cool or not. For example I know Andy used this example tirelessly but a black kid that lives in the projects buying Prada shoes would be cool because of his cultural map while a black kid who lives in the projects decides to stay in on Friday and Saturday nights to study is uncool because his cutural map says it is. An example of when we choose our own role would be a white kid who lives in Malibu trying to act like a thug is uncool to the people of Malibu (I think) vs. another white kid from Malibu who gets into Harvard would be cool and maybe also part of their cultural map.
Argument 3:
To see what we thought was cool we were told to write a story about someone or something that is cool. I found that a lot of stories were about heroes and good people in general. And the ones that were about assholes still ended up having some type of good quality in it. The differences in people's thoughts about cool were what really stood out. No one can say that anyone else's story was not about someone that's cool because that's ones own opinion. So here again we see the idea that cool is kind of like a personal thought. An idea you create in your head in which you form a cool identity which you then strive to be.
Identities are the way we try to make people see us. Our roles play into these identities because they contribute and tweek already made identities into our own. So like me being a social butterfly would be my role. My identity (the way I put myself out there) is that I can get along with anyone (here is where my role plays in) but I tweeked my social butterfly role into I get along with only those who I see are on the same level of interest as me. So I tweeked something to make it more me and to me that's cool. Because I know nothing I ever do will be original because there have been so many others before me who have done whatever I want to try and do but by changing something even just a little to make it more my own is cool to me.
Here is where someone's opinion might differ from mines. Some people (who shall not be named) think that everything they have has to be different from everyone else and in their heads they're being different by altering their bodies with tattoos and piercings because that's what sets them aside from others and makes them cool. This just makes them like all those other want to be rebels against society and cool. They're playing into it by not trying to play into it.
Alternative Point Of View
Now some people can say that cool is what the media sets out for us and we all judge cool similarly but those people can suck it because that's not true. We chose what to believe and like from the media. And if we judged it all the same then why isn't everyone be cool because we would all know the guidelines but there are still people out there who others don't see as cool. People will also try to say that you can be an indivual by adding your own style to everything but what is your styke? It's a style you saw somewhere or two outfits that you decided to put together and make your own. Those are already hundreds of other people's styles as well so that doesn't make you too unique.
Conclusion:
In the end this paper concludes this cool unit we have been working on. Thorugh all the blogs and interviews and discussions I still believe that cool is something that forms in your head and you keep in there to remind you of things you like. There's no new cool or old cool there's just what you believe and what you percieve of others. Cool can be thought of as attitude or fashion or even popularity but in the end it all comes down to the same thing. We all care about it even those who say they don't.
Sources
-My past blogs
This unit we explored into the depths of coolness. We made assumptions, watched movies, interviewed people, and even looked into our own minds to see where this sense of cool comes from. My opinion is that coolness is a state of mind. There is no judge or committee to determine what is cool or what isn't. There is only what one believes in about themselves and others and what makes them cool. There is also no real you and individuality in the things we choose to do. It's all been done and said.
Argument 1:
So I think that individuality was just a concept made up to make people feel special in a world of so many people. We were programmed since little to believe that only we can be ourselves and that no one in the world is like us but in reality that's a lie. There are plentt of people out there who dress like us, talk like us, have the same view as us and yet we still believe that we alone are us.
In truth what is the real you? Is it the way you talk or act? Or the way you see things or do things? There can be no real you because everything your doing and saying has already been done by someone before you. And you can think all you want that it hasn't but it has. Someone before you thought of a tattoo on their ankle or a piercing on their hip.
Now you can say yea but I'm being me because I like those things that's why I do them but he truth is every thought and action in your life that you do is influenced by someone before you. With one word or action someone can change your life around and make you realize something you hadn't before and then your whole perspective on life changes and you say that it's you but it wasn't you until someone else made it you.
Argument 2:
Our interviews all kind of went the same. We talked about what kind of things make a person cool. I found that even if some ideas were alike there were others that were different. Either way it had a lot to do with confidence. The way one carries and presents themselves to others has a lot to do with whether people think they're cool or not. And when people think your cool then you begin to think yea I'm cool. And this is where this whole superficiality begins.
Now what we wanted to find out from these interviews were what qualities make cool. From my surveys I found that people like qualities such as down to earth and chill in the people they hang out with and of course these are typical amswers we expect to hear. But when it comes to fashion people's answers and styles were definitely different. For example while my friend Kayla likes more preppy American Eagle clothes, some guy we met on the street likes vintage, thrift shop clothing. I'm sure there styles wouldn't be cool to each other but that's the point. There is no one cool expert. Everyone is entitled to their own definition of cool because we all play different roles.
Now these roles that we play are what can make us cool or what can make us uncool. Depending on what role we choose to play or cuturally given role we are playing is whether we are cool or not. For example I know Andy used this example tirelessly but a black kid that lives in the projects buying Prada shoes would be cool because of his cultural map while a black kid who lives in the projects decides to stay in on Friday and Saturday nights to study is uncool because his cutural map says it is. An example of when we choose our own role would be a white kid who lives in Malibu trying to act like a thug is uncool to the people of Malibu (I think) vs. another white kid from Malibu who gets into Harvard would be cool and maybe also part of their cultural map.
Argument 3:
To see what we thought was cool we were told to write a story about someone or something that is cool. I found that a lot of stories were about heroes and good people in general. And the ones that were about assholes still ended up having some type of good quality in it. The differences in people's thoughts about cool were what really stood out. No one can say that anyone else's story was not about someone that's cool because that's ones own opinion. So here again we see the idea that cool is kind of like a personal thought. An idea you create in your head in which you form a cool identity which you then strive to be.
Identities are the way we try to make people see us. Our roles play into these identities because they contribute and tweek already made identities into our own. So like me being a social butterfly would be my role. My identity (the way I put myself out there) is that I can get along with anyone (here is where my role plays in) but I tweeked my social butterfly role into I get along with only those who I see are on the same level of interest as me. So I tweeked something to make it more me and to me that's cool. Because I know nothing I ever do will be original because there have been so many others before me who have done whatever I want to try and do but by changing something even just a little to make it more my own is cool to me.
Here is where someone's opinion might differ from mines. Some people (who shall not be named) think that everything they have has to be different from everyone else and in their heads they're being different by altering their bodies with tattoos and piercings because that's what sets them aside from others and makes them cool. This just makes them like all those other want to be rebels against society and cool. They're playing into it by not trying to play into it.
Alternative Point Of View
Now some people can say that cool is what the media sets out for us and we all judge cool similarly but those people can suck it because that's not true. We chose what to believe and like from the media. And if we judged it all the same then why isn't everyone be cool because we would all know the guidelines but there are still people out there who others don't see as cool. People will also try to say that you can be an indivual by adding your own style to everything but what is your styke? It's a style you saw somewhere or two outfits that you decided to put together and make your own. Those are already hundreds of other people's styles as well so that doesn't make you too unique.
Conclusion:
In the end this paper concludes this cool unit we have been working on. Thorugh all the blogs and interviews and discussions I still believe that cool is something that forms in your head and you keep in there to remind you of things you like. There's no new cool or old cool there's just what you believe and what you percieve of others. Cool can be thought of as attitude or fashion or even popularity but in the end it all comes down to the same thing. We all care about it even those who say they don't.
Sources
-My past blogs
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Random People's Comments
Ummm Jacara,
Your essay just blew my mind. Your so blunt and ready to attack everything we have in mind that is cool. I love it!!
Restated Thesis:
-Cool is whatever state of mind we're in, in which we define the design it's in.
-The definition of cool is a state of mind in which you compile the material and form to put it in.
(Sorry they suck)
I agree that cool is a state of mind because we have no judge or committee that tells us what is cool or not. If you want to be technical the judge or committee may be your friends and the people you choose to associate with but even then it may not mater to you what they say. I think by us not knowing what cool is exactly makes it even more difficult for us to find our "true selves" because we want to be well liked and known but for unique reasons.
For your next draft I think that maybe you should use some more evidence from some reliable sources such as wikipedia (j/k). You may also find it helpful to talk about an argument that can be used against your thesis and how you would rebuttal. Well that's enough work for right now for me. I look forward to your final draft. Pastaaaaa : )
Nisie Babyyy,
So I think your thesis is saying 2 things. Let me know if I'm wrong but one is that in trying to be cool we follow others paths because there is no individual way to be cool without following the pack. The second is that we follow the pack for our own self benefit not because we choose too.
A revised thesis might be too wordy for both of these together as Andy calls it but here are some ideas:
-In order to be cool we must follow the pack which in turn not only helps us but also others around us because we all influence each other's ideas of cool.
-Everyone's idea of cool have traces of the last person's idea because we need this in order to benefit from society.
-We benefit from following the social trends of cool, which are inspired by everyone around us.
(I think all these are horrible. Sorry)
So based on what I think your essay is about I think that your right in saying we all follow each other's steps. It's kind of like our actions and style influence others whether we like it or not and in the end by just adding your own little twist it suddenly becomes you. This is what makes our identities so hard. We're constantly switching them because we see something else that we likes which inspires us to do something different to ourselves.
I think talking more about what we did in class and the movies we watched. Also maybe some quotes may improve the paper.
Your essay just blew my mind. Your so blunt and ready to attack everything we have in mind that is cool. I love it!!
Restated Thesis:
-Cool is whatever state of mind we're in, in which we define the design it's in.
-The definition of cool is a state of mind in which you compile the material and form to put it in.
(Sorry they suck)
I agree that cool is a state of mind because we have no judge or committee that tells us what is cool or not. If you want to be technical the judge or committee may be your friends and the people you choose to associate with but even then it may not mater to you what they say. I think by us not knowing what cool is exactly makes it even more difficult for us to find our "true selves" because we want to be well liked and known but for unique reasons.
For your next draft I think that maybe you should use some more evidence from some reliable sources such as wikipedia (j/k). You may also find it helpful to talk about an argument that can be used against your thesis and how you would rebuttal. Well that's enough work for right now for me. I look forward to your final draft. Pastaaaaa : )
Nisie Babyyy,
So I think your thesis is saying 2 things. Let me know if I'm wrong but one is that in trying to be cool we follow others paths because there is no individual way to be cool without following the pack. The second is that we follow the pack for our own self benefit not because we choose too.
A revised thesis might be too wordy for both of these together as Andy calls it but here are some ideas:
-In order to be cool we must follow the pack which in turn not only helps us but also others around us because we all influence each other's ideas of cool.
-Everyone's idea of cool have traces of the last person's idea because we need this in order to benefit from society.
-We benefit from following the social trends of cool, which are inspired by everyone around us.
(I think all these are horrible. Sorry)
So based on what I think your essay is about I think that your right in saying we all follow each other's steps. It's kind of like our actions and style influence others whether we like it or not and in the end by just adding your own little twist it suddenly becomes you. This is what makes our identities so hard. We're constantly switching them because we see something else that we likes which inspires us to do something different to ourselves.
I think talking more about what we did in class and the movies we watched. Also maybe some quotes may improve the paper.
Moving On Up (Socially or Financially)
Cultural maps are maps that are already planned out and given to us since the day we are born. It's either be the same as everyone around you or be the outcast that gets goofed on. If your cultural map is shitty either way your screwed whether it be by your friends and family. Or if it's by having a crappy life. My cultural map I think was to go to school, find a guy that "loves me" and then get pregnant and be screwed for the rest of my life. I'd like to think that I've broken out of that because I don't have any kids. But what about those who can't break out of this ongoing cycle of "cool"? Those who still haven't chosen between the two worlds or those who have and chose to be liked by the people around their neighborhood who aren't going to get them anywhere.
For me the choice was somewhat easier. As a child my mother was very hard on me when it came to school. As a single mother, who hadn't graduated, of four children she knew the struggles of our cultural maps. She wanted me to break this though and she always told me that. As a result of this she made sure I did all my homework and I understood all the material. We didn't live in the best of neighborhoods and all my friends were the class clowns that always got in trouble. She tolerated my choice of friends as long as it didn't affect my grades. As I began to get older however things started changing. She started being more lenient and my grades although still high were slightly slipping. At one point I remember skipping class and thinking who cares if I don't go it's not like I'm going to achieve much in life.
Cultural maps are hard to break. Even when you have support behind you it's always better to be with the people that relate to you the most and for most people, the people they relate to are the ones with the same map. And when you do get out whose to say you won't fall back in?! Nothing is ever guaranteed. So whose to blame for this circle in life? Is it the people who continue making the choices that they know are bad for them? In my opinion it is and isn't their fault. It is their fault because it's not like their completely oblivious to the fact that there is a better life out there for them. They know their are clean ways of making money and bad ways. But then it isn't their fault because they rarely have any other choice than to join in whatever nonsense goes on in their neighborhoods. It's hard to be the outcast in any situation.
In the end it's this struggle to be cool doing whatever it is your cultural map leads you to believe is cool. Whether it's staying in school and going to Harvard or becoming number 1 gang banger in Brooklyn. You are cool because of your surroundings and the way you adapt with situations not because you were born with it.
For me the choice was somewhat easier. As a child my mother was very hard on me when it came to school. As a single mother, who hadn't graduated, of four children she knew the struggles of our cultural maps. She wanted me to break this though and she always told me that. As a result of this she made sure I did all my homework and I understood all the material. We didn't live in the best of neighborhoods and all my friends were the class clowns that always got in trouble. She tolerated my choice of friends as long as it didn't affect my grades. As I began to get older however things started changing. She started being more lenient and my grades although still high were slightly slipping. At one point I remember skipping class and thinking who cares if I don't go it's not like I'm going to achieve much in life.
Cultural maps are hard to break. Even when you have support behind you it's always better to be with the people that relate to you the most and for most people, the people they relate to are the ones with the same map. And when you do get out whose to say you won't fall back in?! Nothing is ever guaranteed. So whose to blame for this circle in life? Is it the people who continue making the choices that they know are bad for them? In my opinion it is and isn't their fault. It is their fault because it's not like their completely oblivious to the fact that there is a better life out there for them. They know their are clean ways of making money and bad ways. But then it isn't their fault because they rarely have any other choice than to join in whatever nonsense goes on in their neighborhoods. It's hard to be the outcast in any situation.
In the end it's this struggle to be cool doing whatever it is your cultural map leads you to believe is cool. Whether it's staying in school and going to Harvard or becoming number 1 gang banger in Brooklyn. You are cool because of your surroundings and the way you adapt with situations not because you were born with it.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Cool Is What Makes The World Go Round
This unit we explored into the depths of coolness. We made assumptions, watched movies, interviewed people, and even looked into our own minds to see where this sense of cool comes from. My opinion is that coolness is a state of mind. There is no judge or committee to determine what is cool or what isn't. There is only what one believes in about themselves and others and what makes them cool.
The movie we watched was about how industries find what we think is cool. To be continued...
Our interviews all kind of went the same. We talked about what kind of things make a person cool. I found that even if some ideas were alike there were others that were different. To be continued...
To see what we thought was cool we were told to write a story about someone or something that is cool. I found that a lot of stories were about heroes and good people in general. And the ones that were about assholes still ended up having some type of good quality in it. To be continued...
I'm not sure what I want my essay to be about yet so this outline is probably not going to be the same as the paper but for right now it's ok.
The movie we watched was about how industries find what we think is cool. To be continued...
Our interviews all kind of went the same. We talked about what kind of things make a person cool. I found that even if some ideas were alike there were others that were different. To be continued...
To see what we thought was cool we were told to write a story about someone or something that is cool. I found that a lot of stories were about heroes and good people in general. And the ones that were about assholes still ended up having some type of good quality in it. To be continued...
I'm not sure what I want my essay to be about yet so this outline is probably not going to be the same as the paper but for right now it's ok.
Tat Me Up
Tattoos are seen as a way for people to express themselves. To stamp yourself with something that seems important to you or makes people see you in a different way is now considered cool. It's cool to have something on your body in ink that can never be taken off because when you have it people think "Wow that person's cool. They took that pain and they're being rebels in our society by getting a tattoo." But are these people really being rebellious or are they just trying to conform into the real rebels that started the tattoos?
I have a couple of friends with tattoos and for a long time I wanted one as well. Every since I was little I thought I want a tattoo because my parents are going to hate it. And if they're against it why not do it? Now however my mind has changed. Getting a permanent marking on my body of a symbol that 20 years from now may mean nothing to me isn't so attractive anymore. For other people it may be seen as a way of making a statement to people who see them but to me it's all about conforming to be this person who doesn't care what they look like when they actually do care because they got the tattoo in order for people to recognize them.
People may also compare this to piercings. I'll be the first to say that I absolutely love piercing but I don't think I have piercings in order to conform into something else. I thought they were just nice piercings. Although the desire to get them could have been my subconscious telling me that I wanted to be "cool" so I got them. The difference between these two statements is also the fact that piercings will close if you keep the ring out. A tat is forever. Even that tattoo removal doesn't really work all the way. There are still tracings of it left. So who wants to be stuck with some rose on their lower back while they're a grandmother?!
I have a couple of friends with tattoos and for a long time I wanted one as well. Every since I was little I thought I want a tattoo because my parents are going to hate it. And if they're against it why not do it? Now however my mind has changed. Getting a permanent marking on my body of a symbol that 20 years from now may mean nothing to me isn't so attractive anymore. For other people it may be seen as a way of making a statement to people who see them but to me it's all about conforming to be this person who doesn't care what they look like when they actually do care because they got the tattoo in order for people to recognize them.
People may also compare this to piercings. I'll be the first to say that I absolutely love piercing but I don't think I have piercings in order to conform into something else. I thought they were just nice piercings. Although the desire to get them could have been my subconscious telling me that I wanted to be "cool" so I got them. The difference between these two statements is also the fact that piercings will close if you keep the ring out. A tat is forever. Even that tattoo removal doesn't really work all the way. There are still tracings of it left. So who wants to be stuck with some rose on their lower back while they're a grandmother?!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Their Ideas Mixed With A Little Bit Of Yazmin
The idea of cool is abstract. There can be many thoughts and ideas said to describe it, many actions and reactions to describe it but what is it actually? And what does this cool do for us?
Many philosophers, psychologists, and social theorists are telling us that this idea of coolness is an attempt to hide the emptiness inside of us. Kind of like a band aid (quoting Andy) that is there to act as a protector for our injury but yet cannot keep us from forgetting that it is there.
So I am here now to talk about the source of this sense of meaningless. How we came about with it and how possibly we can get rid of it if we find the initial problem. I have researched and will talk about the Myth of the Fall, of Freud's theories of separation from the mother, and of Becker's theory of the fear of annihilation in death and then make my hypothesis on the sense of meaningless.
So first we must talk about the Myth of the Fall. This is about Adam and Eve and how the original sin was what disconnected us from God and therefore from ourselves. This disconnection from God gives us this sense of meaningless and until we are connected once again with God we will not be able to fill this emptiness. My opinion is that this could indeed be the source for our sense of meaningless because before the original sin we were meaningful in God’s eyes and we were part of him and the universe forever to be immortal. Now that the original sin has taken place we are one for all and able to choose whether we want to be good or bad without it really meaning anything.
This separation from God brings me to my next topic about the separation from our mothers bringing this sense of meaningless. Freud says that when we are babies we do not realize that we are separate beings from our mother. In fact we think that we are one with our mother and that everything in the universe is connected. It is not until we get older or ignored that we realize we are alone and not connected to our mother’s internal being. To me this seems perfectly normal to think about because I have a younger brother who is 7 months old. I don’t think he has yet to realize that everything is separate and everyone is here for themselves. He still has this loving attitude for his mom that is not to be tampered with at any moment. He searches for her and hugs her and kisses her with so much love and innocence that it almost makes this theory have to be true. Children at this age still do not know that we are not here forever and in life as pawns rather than creators.
Finally with this we reach Becker’s theory of annihilation of death. His theory is that we act “cool” and try to ignore the awareness of death that we have. Because we are aware that eventually we will die however we try to do as much as possible and make our lives as meaningful as possible that we in turn create this emptiness inside of us which we continue trying to fill with doing more things. To me this can also be a source for the sense of meaningless we have because people do try to make a difference in the world because they realize eventually that they are going to die and don’t want to go to waste without being remembered or leaving something that will make them be remembered.
My hypothesis is that the source of meaningless we have inside comes from always following the script that we are given and never really having anything special enough in our lives to make us feel as if we are different. For example, our parents are always telling us how we should be and what we should do. We follow what they want us to do because we want their approval and think that that is the only way to get it because it’s what they want. Like we are always waiting for the next cue in life or the next step and we are constantly waiting for someone to tell us what it is. We go from school to college to marriage to parenthood to retirement. There’s nothing important about what we are doing because someone before us has already done it. Knowing this could create this emptiness because we feel as if no matter what we do, it makes no difference in anyone else’s life and eventually when we die that one decision will have not made a difference because we’re gone.
Many philosophers, psychologists, and social theorists are telling us that this idea of coolness is an attempt to hide the emptiness inside of us. Kind of like a band aid (quoting Andy) that is there to act as a protector for our injury but yet cannot keep us from forgetting that it is there.
So I am here now to talk about the source of this sense of meaningless. How we came about with it and how possibly we can get rid of it if we find the initial problem. I have researched and will talk about the Myth of the Fall, of Freud's theories of separation from the mother, and of Becker's theory of the fear of annihilation in death and then make my hypothesis on the sense of meaningless.
So first we must talk about the Myth of the Fall. This is about Adam and Eve and how the original sin was what disconnected us from God and therefore from ourselves. This disconnection from God gives us this sense of meaningless and until we are connected once again with God we will not be able to fill this emptiness. My opinion is that this could indeed be the source for our sense of meaningless because before the original sin we were meaningful in God’s eyes and we were part of him and the universe forever to be immortal. Now that the original sin has taken place we are one for all and able to choose whether we want to be good or bad without it really meaning anything.
This separation from God brings me to my next topic about the separation from our mothers bringing this sense of meaningless. Freud says that when we are babies we do not realize that we are separate beings from our mother. In fact we think that we are one with our mother and that everything in the universe is connected. It is not until we get older or ignored that we realize we are alone and not connected to our mother’s internal being. To me this seems perfectly normal to think about because I have a younger brother who is 7 months old. I don’t think he has yet to realize that everything is separate and everyone is here for themselves. He still has this loving attitude for his mom that is not to be tampered with at any moment. He searches for her and hugs her and kisses her with so much love and innocence that it almost makes this theory have to be true. Children at this age still do not know that we are not here forever and in life as pawns rather than creators.
Finally with this we reach Becker’s theory of annihilation of death. His theory is that we act “cool” and try to ignore the awareness of death that we have. Because we are aware that eventually we will die however we try to do as much as possible and make our lives as meaningful as possible that we in turn create this emptiness inside of us which we continue trying to fill with doing more things. To me this can also be a source for the sense of meaningless we have because people do try to make a difference in the world because they realize eventually that they are going to die and don’t want to go to waste without being remembered or leaving something that will make them be remembered.
My hypothesis is that the source of meaningless we have inside comes from always following the script that we are given and never really having anything special enough in our lives to make us feel as if we are different. For example, our parents are always telling us how we should be and what we should do. We follow what they want us to do because we want their approval and think that that is the only way to get it because it’s what they want. Like we are always waiting for the next cue in life or the next step and we are constantly waiting for someone to tell us what it is. We go from school to college to marriage to parenthood to retirement. There’s nothing important about what we are doing because someone before us has already done it. Knowing this could create this emptiness because we feel as if no matter what we do, it makes no difference in anyone else’s life and eventually when we die that one decision will have not made a difference because we’re gone.
Merchants Of Cool
Advertising in no way can it be banned. There are too many people profiting from it, too many that enjoy it. For younger children though it can be a problem. Seeing how cool advertisements make things can be overwhelming and make you feel like you have to buy whatever it is for adults so how much does this affect children who have weaker self control. My opinion is not that it should be banned but somehow monitored in order to less exploit the minds of children with consumer needs.
Monitoring can be things such as not playing the commercials for toys at all the hours that kids would be watching television. Making the advertisements that are for kids less about being "cool" or having the latest thing but more about the fun that you can have with the toy or whatever it may be. Parents can also find ways to limit the amount of advertisements their kids actually watch by not saying they have to have whatever it is on the tv. If they want whatever it is maybe they should stay quiet and try not to show their children dependency on it.
Monitoring can be things such as not playing the commercials for toys at all the hours that kids would be watching television. Making the advertisements that are for kids less about being "cool" or having the latest thing but more about the fun that you can have with the toy or whatever it may be. Parents can also find ways to limit the amount of advertisements their kids actually watch by not saying they have to have whatever it is on the tv. If they want whatever it is maybe they should stay quiet and try not to show their children dependency on it.
Monday, December 7, 2009
What Others Say About Cool
Adam, Ferrier. "What Makes People Cool." (2008): n. pag. Web. 7 Dec 2009. .
This blog consists of what characteristics it takes to make a person cool. He says that the 5 most important factors to being cool is Self Belief and Confidence, Defying Convention, Understated Achievement, Caring For Others, and Energy and Sociability. He also then goes on to talk about how masculinity is also a cool concept.
Alfred, Thompson. "Cool is not consistent." (2009): n. pag. Web. 7 Dec 2009..
This article basically talks about how cool isn't consistent because people cahnge what they think. It also says that you can never believe what a person says is cool because what they say and what they do may be different things that are or aren't cool.
Peter, Wild. "Alternative Tuning: Being Cool." (2009): n. pag. Web. 7 Dec 2009.
Peter talks about what was cool during certain stages of his life. Like when he was young doing and liking everything that everyone else was doing was cool. Or when he was in his twenties being cool was knowing what others didn't.
"Softlightes." Web. 7 Dec 2009..
I think what this picture says about being cool is that you don't have to conform and live the way other people think you should in order to be cool or make others happy. You should be yourself and not worry about other's perspectives.
"20 Cool Digital Art People." Web. 7 Dec 2009..
This website is basically pictures of celebrities and how cool they are. The photographers made them look cool by incoorporating characteristics like sexy, bling, seductiveness, beauty, people who inspire others, and well known people. I think this just confirms are idea of what we think cool people are.
P.S. While looking this stuff up I found a fb group that's "Awesome People Being Cool". The picture is some old 90's kids. I don't think that's very cool but I thought the group was kind of funny. They're not really cool just because they joined that group.
This blog consists of what characteristics it takes to make a person cool. He says that the 5 most important factors to being cool is Self Belief and Confidence, Defying Convention, Understated Achievement, Caring For Others, and Energy and Sociability. He also then goes on to talk about how masculinity is also a cool concept.
Alfred, Thompson. "Cool is not consistent." (2009): n. pag. Web. 7 Dec 2009.
This article basically talks about how cool isn't consistent because people cahnge what they think. It also says that you can never believe what a person says is cool because what they say and what they do may be different things that are or aren't cool.
Peter, Wild. "Alternative Tuning: Being Cool." (2009): n. pag. Web. 7 Dec 2009.
Peter talks about what was cool during certain stages of his life. Like when he was young doing and liking everything that everyone else was doing was cool. Or when he was in his twenties being cool was knowing what others didn't.
"Softlightes." Web. 7 Dec 2009.
I think what this picture says about being cool is that you don't have to conform and live the way other people think you should in order to be cool or make others happy. You should be yourself and not worry about other's perspectives.
"20 Cool Digital Art People." Web. 7 Dec 2009.
This website is basically pictures of celebrities and how cool they are. The photographers made them look cool by incoorporating characteristics like sexy, bling, seductiveness, beauty, people who inspire others, and well known people. I think this just confirms are idea of what we think cool people are.
P.S. While looking this stuff up I found a fb group that's "Awesome People Being Cool". The picture is some old 90's kids. I don't think that's very cool but I thought the group was kind of funny. They're not really cool just because they joined that group.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Other People Think Too?!
Anthony aka Dat Dude (corner store guy)
Yazmin: How cool are you and why?
Anthony: Very cool because I'm chill humble, and down to earth.
Yazmin: So what's your style like?
Anthony: Urban, affordable, and modern. Very into fashion. I even have my own fashion website.
urbanfashion.com
Yazmin: Do you get numbers usually?
Anthony: I do actually. Before now I have a gf.
Yazmin: Do you think that because of what your wearing is why you get these numbers?
Anthony: Well it's not all about it but yes because apprearance comes first.
Jessica: How much money would a whole outfit of yours be?
Anthony: About $300-$400.
Jessica: Do you feel like yourself even if you weren't wearing these expensive clothes?
Anthony: I'm always going to be me regardless of the clothes.
Jessica: Do you feel like your clothes make you cool?
Anthony: I think my clothes express me not that they make me cool.
Weird Guy
Chloe: Whose the coolest person you know and why?
Weird guy: My boyfriend because he's successful and dresses really nice.
Chloe: What's your favorite fashion trend?
Weird guy: Vintage, Civil War stuff, and fur.
Chloe: Why?
Weird guy: Looks nice and it's practical.
My Padre
Yazmin: Whose cooler Coldplay or Obama?
Padre: Coldplay because their music.
Yazmin: What's a typical cool outfit for you?
Padre: Jacket, jeans, and dressy shirt. With some casual shoes.
Yazmin: Whose the coolest person you know and why?
Padre: Bono from U2. All the humanitary services he does and his music is an inspiration.
Yazmin: What do you think being cool is?
Padre: Someone you can get along with, easy going, funny, and who has charisma.
Yazmin: Do you think your cool and why?
Padre: Yes because my daughter thinks I'm cool. = D
Mother May I
Yazmin: Whose cooler Barack or Oprah?
Mother: Obama because he changed history with being the first Black man elected president so obviously the public sees him as cool.
Yazmin: Whose the coolest person you know and why?
Mother: Madonna because she as a woman growing up in the era she did, did anything she wanted and broke so may barriers for women. And never let what anyone said bring her down or stop her from what she wanted to accomplish.
Yazmin: What's a cool outfit for you?
Mother: Jeans, nice boots, nice top, and jewelery.
Yazmin: Do you think the clothes you wear attracts people to you?
Mother: Most definitely. How you dress is what you attract.
Yazmin: Do you think your cool? And why?
Mother: No I know I'm cool. Because being cool is a state of mind and that's the state my mind is in.
Yazmin: How cool are you and why?
Anthony: Very cool because I'm chill humble, and down to earth.
Yazmin: So what's your style like?
Anthony: Urban, affordable, and modern. Very into fashion. I even have my own fashion website.
urbanfashion.com
Yazmin: Do you get numbers usually?
Anthony: I do actually. Before now I have a gf.
Yazmin: Do you think that because of what your wearing is why you get these numbers?
Anthony: Well it's not all about it but yes because apprearance comes first.
Jessica: How much money would a whole outfit of yours be?
Anthony: About $300-$400.
Jessica: Do you feel like yourself even if you weren't wearing these expensive clothes?
Anthony: I'm always going to be me regardless of the clothes.
Jessica: Do you feel like your clothes make you cool?
Anthony: I think my clothes express me not that they make me cool.
Weird Guy
Chloe: Whose the coolest person you know and why?
Weird guy: My boyfriend because he's successful and dresses really nice.
Chloe: What's your favorite fashion trend?
Weird guy: Vintage, Civil War stuff, and fur.
Chloe: Why?
Weird guy: Looks nice and it's practical.
My Padre
Yazmin: Whose cooler Coldplay or Obama?
Padre: Coldplay because their music.
Yazmin: What's a typical cool outfit for you?
Padre: Jacket, jeans, and dressy shirt. With some casual shoes.
Yazmin: Whose the coolest person you know and why?
Padre: Bono from U2. All the humanitary services he does and his music is an inspiration.
Yazmin: What do you think being cool is?
Padre: Someone you can get along with, easy going, funny, and who has charisma.
Yazmin: Do you think your cool and why?
Padre: Yes because my daughter thinks I'm cool. = D
Mother May I
Yazmin: Whose cooler Barack or Oprah?
Mother: Obama because he changed history with being the first Black man elected president so obviously the public sees him as cool.
Yazmin: Whose the coolest person you know and why?
Mother: Madonna because she as a woman growing up in the era she did, did anything she wanted and broke so may barriers for women. And never let what anyone said bring her down or stop her from what she wanted to accomplish.
Yazmin: What's a cool outfit for you?
Mother: Jeans, nice boots, nice top, and jewelery.
Yazmin: Do you think the clothes you wear attracts people to you?
Mother: Most definitely. How you dress is what you attract.
Yazmin: Do you think your cool? And why?
Mother: No I know I'm cool. Because being cool is a state of mind and that's the state my mind is in.
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