Defining cool

I don't know if any of you saw this article:

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20159025,00.html

I'm not sure I trust Stephen King to be the arbiter of cool. I like him, I have read a ton of his books and I do think he's an amazing talent. I enjoyed the article, until the end, where he declared himself as cool. I don't think you can do that.

I don't think you can pronounce yourself as cool. In fact, if you do, I think it is un-cool. You either are, or you are not. Perhaps you are born with the cool gene. Some people (with the cool gene) grow into their cool and tap their cool potential. Others, are destined to be the AV geeks for life.

I was listening to 'Diamond Dogs' by David Bowie on the way to work this morning. David Bowie is, and will always be, cool. He's successfully reinvented himself for decades and still retains his cool. Madonna, on the other hand, has successfully reinvented herself over decades and, to me anyhow, is just a media whore. One man's opinion, I know, but I wouldn't describe her as cool.

I know a few cool people. They aren't rich or successful, but it's there, and I like hanging around what I think are cool people.

And there it is, if you are perceived as cool, you are.

So if you are a Star Wars nerd, living in your mom's basement and have the absolute best Darth Vader costume, someone out there thinks that you are cool. Like the geek character in Sixteen Candles being 'the king of the dipshits'.

There must be caste system of cool, a big fish, small pond kinda cool that provides total dorks out there with their very own kingdom of cool. Whether its the bowling alley, corner bar, work (don't even get me started - I'm in IT!), social groups, etc, - someone is cool - someone is the 'King of the dipshits'

Well, I guess we can't all be David Bowie, he's already got the gig...
m.