"Coolness" is Oppressive

[Moskitto]

Today, after someone went to my website in the library, The "Cool" crowd gathered round the computer to see.

The oppressive nature of being cool soon came out. Coolness oppresses free thought. Apparantly, I do not know about communism because I only got a C in History. Do these people know of Augusto Sandino, Salvador Allende, Daniel Ortega? Probably not. Is History exclusively communism? No.

Communism is a career apparantly Einstein was a Physicist, not a communist, I "want" to be a communist. Indeed this isn't oppression from capitalism, as capitalism also disagrees with these labels of those who practice something being something rather than those who believe in something being something. This is the oppression of coolness.

Coolness doesn't like independance. Coolness likes people to wear Nikes, play football, smoke. Coolness likes to be spoonfed the same thought. Communism=Nazism, I like the purges, If I don't I'm not a Communist.

Coolness hates intellectuals, Wanting to know more is not the way, Knowing about the Sandinistas and Contras is wrong, the urge to find out more, it's abnormal, autistic.

Speaking your mind where only your mind will be judged, it's autistic, I was dropped as a baby.

Coolness seeks to prevent people from thinking and acting differently. Many minds will be lost to coolness, don't let yours be one. I escaped coolness when I could, crossed the iron curtain, never went back.

[Hayduke]

Moskitto,

You talk to much.

[James]

Good post moskitto

[Ian]

Coolness is definately on the right wing, just a pubescent version of it. I'm so sick of 'cool' people fucking racists/homophobes/bigots.
Unaccepting bastards...

[LeninCCCP]

they'll never change so dont worry about it.

[Socialmalfunction]

ian damn good point my man. same to moskitto. but there is also many never think about, sexism. many people freak out that im a chick that's political. as if its something reserved for males. fuck that is what i say. but things dont change. people are actually shocked that i know as much as i do and freek out when i open my mouth due to the fact that im so anti-social. but dammit if i wasnt looked at like a freek for wearing dickies and black all the time maybe i'd talk to those hypocritical bastards. but that is exactly what they are and im not more than a dumb chick....

[Ian]

Good post ay? 3 lines constitutes a good post! sweet...

I know what you mean some guys tend to think 'Chick with tits: good! Chicks with opinions: definately not good' fucking 'coolness'...

Dr Ian's remedies for crappy treatment by the 'cool'group;
1. Remember; "It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor." -- Seneca (Seneca was banished from Athens for his heretical views on wealth. He was a very rich man, and came to see the utter destitution of the soul that wealth causes. When he was leaving Athens, he told the people who banished him that he wished great riches on them. It was not a blessing.)
2. Pierre Joseph Proudhon, although loopy in his old age, was Marx's inspiration to become socialist. When he won a scholarship to a school in France, he was the peasant child who wore wooden shoes amongst the sons of wealthy merchants... And look what he became... before he went a bit loopy and decided that surplus is not needed and workers should appropriate all of the work...

[redstar2000]

Coolness is a "defense mechanism". To be cool is to be detached, ironic/cynical, unable to be hurt by an all too hurtful world.

It's kind of like what a lot of Germans did during the 3rd Reich; unwilling to take part in the hysterical rituals of Nazism, they withdrew--they called it "internal emigration".

I think "cool" is kind of sad more than anything else. It's a way of accepting defeat.

PS: I think it was Rome that exiled Seneca, not Athens.

[mentalbunny]

Moskitto, I really liked your post, I think you hit the nail on the head. "Cool" here means you have to be black or act like you're black, how bizarre is that? We have the incredible phenomena of wiggers and chiggers, oh joy! I'm neither, if you are slighly alternative (eg don't listen to RnB, Hip-Hop, drum 'n' bass) the you are a "goth" and therefore uncool.

If you think you are also uncool, it's ok to work hard and get good grades, but not if that involve real though, you can't be socialist for one thing, and you can easily get away with being homophobic, there are no well known gays here, although some admit it to their close friends. It really sucks, this is basically why my school is hell (see signature).

"Cool" is for the rich fuckers who don't need to work, Daddy pays for everything, so they don't think, they just consume.

[deadpool 52]

Quote: from D DAY on 11:50 pm on Oct. 3, 2002
Moskitto,

You talk to much.


YEAH he does.

"Cool" has many variations.

[MJM]

Quote: from deadpool 52 on 3:48 pm on Oct. 5, 2002


"Cool" has many variations.

Damn straight :)
The rich kids at my school thought they were cool. But no-one else did :)

[deadpool 52]

As Miles Davis said, "Cool is forever."

[Ian]

Redstar2000, I was just going by memory... meh...

[Kez]

I WANNA BE A WIGGA TO BE COOL, HELP ME SOME1,
my apologies to dumbening this thread.

however, i do believe thatif u urself become "cool" then u can turn others to be like urself

for example be cool, do all the cool things, thenmention socialism here and there, whilst still doing cool things, ppl become interested and u st up discussion groups (in my past experience anyway)

cool is a hierarchial thing, u gotta climb to the top to get their attention

[mentalbunny]

Quote: from TavareeshKamo on 10:51 am on Oct. 5, 2002
I WANNA BE A WIGGA TO BE COOL, HELP ME SOME1,
my apologies to dumbening this thread.

however, i do believe thatif u urself become "cool" then u can turn others to be like urself

for example be cool, do all the cool things, thenmention socialism here and there, whilst still doing cool things, ppl become interested and u st up discussion groups (in my past experience anyway)

cool is a hierarchial thing, u gotta climb to the top to get their attention

but how do you become cool? usually by immoral ways...

[James]

hold a gun to their heads...

[Lefty]

cool...god knows i have pondered this subject for hours, lol. As far as i can tell, cool people all have to be pretty, at least in the commercial sense. Also, they all have to have a mutual dislike for different people, and at our school they all share a extremely annoying sarcastic sense of humor and an affinity for the sticky icky icky. If this is what it takes to be cool, i say fuck it. I cant really comment on the whole clothes thing cuz i am wearing old navy jeans right now... (they were on sale for like $7, i doubt many people will profit from that)

[Socialmalfunction]

shit even if i were to try to be cool i wouldnt know where to start. i have no idea of who the "cool" people are at my skool. im so far gone into my own world that when im skool noone really matter except my friends (which arent many after this huge parting ofways). so yeah.... its better to be kool on your own terms but being kool according to yourself, then to be cool with some two faced *****es.... :)

[bluerev002]

befor i ne3vedr used to care much for coolness, but now. fudge!! THE ROCK LOOK IS GOING IN!!! I memer when ppl looked down on me for wearing black dickies and a spiky braselet. now everyone is wearing it. dont wear it anymore cuz i dont really like that look anymore, punk is dead.

and when ppl are "cool" they cant even be themselves. NICK CARTER is now took up da rock look with the convers and all that crap. most "cool" ppl have their pants down to their knees. what do these "cool" ppl get out of this? a lot of fake friends, they think quantidy is more important than quality. their "coolness" is a high school thing, maybe even college, after that, what will all the "coolness" get them?? nothing, they spend their time socialising instead of working. they end up working at MC donalds all their lives. how cool is that?
ppl are stupid and ppl dont care.


although, at the school i go to you dont really see the steriotipical types of cool like you see in TV. you dont see ppl killing themselves to be popular. you just have to know ppl. the ppl here have known each other since kindygarden and since its a big group of em. then they make up da mojority. here i see that ppl hang out with their friends. i skaters with chearleaders and some foootball players with goths. its not all placed into sections. i seem to notice that cuz i just see all a ppl and i wonder about the ppl. i am alone at luch some of the time, but most of the time im with my one friend.

(Edited by bluerev002 at 11:18 pm on Oct. 6, 2002)

[The Red Cheese]

"i am alone at luch some of the time, but most of the time im with my one friend. "- bluerev002
same thing goes for me. most of my classmates hate me cuz im different, i dont wear wat they wear, and because i dotn talk the same slang as they do. I just hate that, it pisses me off.

Most of the kids in my skool r black, or dominicans trying to b black, with their "bling bling", and their jerseys, and pants up to their knees. u can barely see a white person. most of kids who r also cool r very stupid so i dont mind if im not cool like them.

[IHP]

i found that with the cool poeple, if you have them on your side, they help heaps. i was voted college captian last year. it was because none of them understood what i was talking about in history, so they thought i was really smart. and with their help, i raised heaps of money for cancer research and so on. so they can come in handy.

they can also be a pack of dicks. iv got this t-shirt that has a native peoples flag on it (Australian Aborigines) and it says "different colours, one people". yeah the "cool people weren't too impressed.

--IHP

[M35B]

I do believe that the idea of ‘coolness’ is oppressive in the sense that it is a manifestation of how elitist the affluent society is. Elitist in the sense that it draws the line between what is and what is not to be considered as cool. And it is a sad fact that the predominant number of people in the so-called free world judges the coolness of a person by the standards of what type of clothes he/she is wearing, where she hangs out, what model of mobile phone he/she uses, or how much they earn etc. And the underlying idea that besets all of this is the fact that you are not cool if you are not rich or you do not look good aesthetically, which is very bourgeoisie in nature, and that it should be opposed because it alienates people who do not meet their elitist criteria.

[Jimrichey]

I know it's probably been said before, but what annoys me:
Seeing young, "cool" people wandering the city with Che emblazoned on their t-shirts. Do the majority of them even know the history? Did they buy the product because of their political views or because of the desire to follow the present fashion.

Now these corporate, fashion retailers are selling products that depict the image of a man who, in a way, fought against their very existence. Ironic.

[mentalbunny]

Quote: from Jimrichey on 11:02 am on Oct. 7, 2002
I know it's probably been said before, but what annoys me:
Seeing young, "cool" people wandering the city with Che emblazoned on their t-shirts. Do the majority of them even know the history? Did they buy the product because of their political views or because of the desire to follow the present fashion.

Now these corporate, fashion retailers are selling products that depict the image of a man who, in a way, fought against their very existence. Ironic.

I so agree! Someone mentioned something about che, can't remember where or why, but I doubt they knew anything, I was so tempted to say "what do you know what about him then?" but didn't. My RS teacher knows loads aoubt him though, it's so cool.

Anyway back onto the suject, loads of people at this shit hope thinks the portrait looks coool, he's over loads of golddigga tops, it fucks me off so much.

[mujer revolucionaria]

Okay I am gonna have to put my 2 cents in on coolness.....

being "cool" transcends all social groups.....it is all in your definition of "cool" I grew up in the punk scene, and I was definitely NOT COOL in that scene. There was deffo that air of "you are punk, yer cool" "you are not punk enough, we have no time for you"

Even within those circles, the pretty girls got the attention and had all the friends, the guys were almost as chauvenistic as regular "preps/jocks" but in a different way. It wasnt as blatant, but it was/is there.

This always confused me as I thought I was in a community that accepted people for who they are, more so than what they look like.....and it is just as guilty of the "coolness" crimes as other social groups.

So, just because you listen to X and Black Flag may mean you are uncool in some circles, but in the punk community it really doesnt matter....because when it boils down, it is how you look, and how cool/punk you are. That my friends....I think....is bullshit.....

I stopped going to punk shows a long time ago....I was NEVER cool. And, I am still not!!! ;) haha

I still listen to the music though, and hold true to a lot of my "punk" ideals.....and yeah I go to the odd show, but am not in "the scene" anymore.

My boyfriend is still pretty big in the scene, and I dont think he understands my issues with it. He pointed out that people our age (late 20's/early 30's) that are still going to shows, are accepting and laid back. But those are the same people who never really accepted me way back when......I dont trust it. So, I just do my own thing.....

Mos is right...being "cool" is oppressive....I just let my hair grow, wear clothes I like that fit me, hang out with people I like and listen to whatever damn kinda music I wanna.....you got a problem with Johnny Cash eh?? ;)

(Edited by mujer revolucionaria at 4:00 pm on Oct. 9, 2002)

[mentalbunny]

Quote: from mujer revolucionaria on 9:55 pm on Oct. 8, 2002
Okay I am gonna have to put my 2 cents in on coolness.....

being "cool" transcends all social groups.....it is all in your definition of "cool" I grew up in the punk scene, and I was definitely NOT COOL in that scene. There was deffo that air of "you are punk, yer cool" "you are not punk enough, we have no time for you"

Even within those circles, the pretty girls got the attention and had all the friends, the guys were almost as chauvenistic as regular "preps/jocks" but in a different way. It wasnt as blatant, but it was/is there.

This always confused me as I thought I was in a community that accepted people for who they are, more so than what they look like.....and it is just as guilty of the "coolness" crimes as other social groups.

So, just because you listen to X and Black Flag may mean you are uncool in some circles, but in the punk community it really doesnt matter....because when it boils down, it is how you look, and how cool/punk you are. That my friends....I think....is bullshit.....

I stopped going to punk shows a long time ago....I was NEVER cool. And, I am still not!!! ;) haha

(Edited by mujer revolucionaria at 4:00 pm on Oct. 9, 2002)


That really sucks, I hate it when people are superficial, you think they'll grow out of it but they never do. I used to have a big group of guy friends, mates of my boyfriend at the time, then these two pretty, alternative girls came and they wouldn't stop talking about them, I got so mad (not just through jelousy, though that did play a part). In the end one of them ended up with my boyfriend, what can I say?! She left, as did my boyfriend, and his best friend who I fell in love with after i split with my ex. The toher pretty girl is still hre and flirts constantly, although she is now "normal" (as opposed to "goth" ) in the eyes of the cretins at my school.

The whole thing sucks, but that's the way it is. Coolness is a condition of humanity, imposed by those who are, and if you aren't you suffer. I'm not cool.

(Edited by mentalbunny at 10:07 pm on Oct. 8, 2002)

[Mazdak]

A response to the first post in this topic-

Thisn is what i have always thought. This is why i hated school and the nature of everyone. Everyone is concerned about whats cool. They dont have real personalities, as they cannot be individuals, they have to be part of the crowd. And then they attack anyone who isnt wearing their "uniform" or listening to their music.

Kurt Cobain said "Monkey see, monkey do, rather be dead than cool"

[Exploited Class]

I have never understood being 'cool'. Does that mean everybody likes you, or that you are liked by all social groups, or that you are the top of your social group? Or is it that you are at the top of your social group and people recognize you for not being one of the sheep in that social group? I don't get it. So if you are a gothic type personality, so long as you are the best gothic type personality then you considered cool? Or does one have to spend a lot of money to be cool?

I guess I don't know what cool is at all.

[samaniego]

Isn't Malte cool?

[attica]

hey pinochet, where'd you get that shirt from?