A Study Cracks the Code, But Can it Capture the Essence of Coolness?

For generations, philosophers, scholars, and those aspiring to be cool have puzzled over the question: what is it that makes someone cool? Now, a study published by the American Psychological Association has attempted to crack the code, identifying six specific attributes that are commonly associated with cool people. According to the survey of 6,000 participants from 12 countries, cool individuals are generally perceived to be extroverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open, and autonomous.

However, experts say that defining coolness is a complex and multifaceted task. Chris Black, co-host of the podcast “How Long Gone” and founder of Done to Death Projects, a brand consultancy with fashion clients, notes that while the traits identified in the study are “relatively accurate” for him, coolness is ultimately a subjective and elusive concept. “The je ne sais quoi of the whole thing has always been what I associate with cool,” he says.

Philippa Snow, a writer and cultural critic, agrees that defining coolness is similar to defining charisma – it’s a quality that’s hard to pin down, but you know it when you see it. Some suggest that sprezzatura, an Italian word that refers to a certain nonchalance or effortless charm, captures the earliest essence of what cool is. Coolness as a characterization originated in 1940s jazz culture, when black musician Lester Young challenged racial norms by refusing to smile when performing and using fashion as a marker of defiance.

Prof. Joel Dinerstein, who has taught a course called “The History of Cool” at Tulane University for over 25 years, associates cool people with qualities such as rebelliousness, charisma, and self-authorization. Black’s criteria for coolness include being comfortable with oneself and what one says, as well as being very good at what one does. However, he notes that coolness is not just about individual qualities, but also about cultural and social assets.

In today’s social media age, being cool is often less about a person and more about an aesthetic that can be carefully curated. However, as soon as an item becomes mainstream, it is generally no longer deemed cool. Conversely, certain cultural phenomena, such as Brat, the cultural phenomenon unleashed by Charli XCX, can remain cool even after being widely popular.

Interestingly, when asked who they perceive as cool, Dinerstein’s students this year spanned a range of individuals, from the composer Hans Zimmer to the singer Lenny Kravitz. Snow suggests that Rihanna would be considered cool by many millennials, citing her ability to command attention and defy expectations. Black notes that youth will always be cool, but that this can also be a curse, as people often feel pressure to be at their peak at a young age.

However, a recent conversation with two Gen Z-ers reveals that the word “cool” as an adjective is becoming defunct in their lexicon, replaced by terms such as “sick” and “lowkey.” As the concept of coolness continues to evolve, it’s clear that defining it will remain a complex and multifaceted task.