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deepstillwater
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Just for fun!
I went to a really interesting class in London last night title "how to be cool". The host was a doctor of philosophy, who works for an advertising firm helping companies discover what might be the next cool trends might be and how to appeal to people etc.
Of course, no one owns cool and you can't buy cool - which were points he very clearly made. Cool is more than drinking in the right bars, or wearing the right clothes, cool is a way of approaching life to make it more beautiful and meaningful.
It was a really interesting look into history, wit, social psychology, philosophy, even Aristotle got a mention.
According to Aristotle the correct pursuit of life is happiness, but we can only be happy when we exercise each of the virtues in moderation. Which, is an idea central to the notion of being cool: one of taking an appropriate response to every situation.
Basically cool acts have three important qualities: they are appropriate to the situation, they are effortless, they are elegant or beautiful in some way.
An example of that could be a timely gift to a friend, that is touching and shows you care and know the person well, but that the effort and time you spent on the gift is not mentioned. Or to jump on a tube right before the doors close, that zing of meeting between right time, right place, and a beautiful, elegant action.
The wikipedia post on cool is excellent http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cool_(aesthetic)
I asked the I ching: What is " cool" and got 32.1.3 > 54
Which I think is very apt. Hillary talks about Hexagram 32 seeking to take Influence (paired hexagram, 31) and integrate and internalise it, weaving it right into the fabric of life and making a lasting pattern of it. To bring inspiration inside so it becomes inseparable from day to day moments. (In the course the speaker talked about being cool is a case of leading an ordinary life well - there is no need for all of us to be a rock star and cool is not just the domain of the famous or rich).
The superor person always keeps abreast of the time and changes with it (that is pure cool, being in the moment and changing your response to what the time demands).
People become cool by building up cool acts into their lives.
The changing line 1: He who demands too much at once is acting precipitately, and because he attempts too much, he ends by succeeding in nothing.
Cool is not rushed, or too much (as Aristole said one should not have too little courage because that is fear, but also not have to much courage because that is foolhardiness). Indeed someone who does something too over the top can be seen as a try-hard idiot and the exact opposite of cool!
Changing line 3: If a man remains at the mercy of moods of hope or fear aroused by the outer world, he loses his inner consistency of character. Such inconsistency
invariably leads to distressing experiences.
Cool literally means keeping your cool - not being driven by emotions but being able to approach a situation appropriately. To deal with it rationally, and to keep your head during times of danger or conflict. (chucking a tanty because things are not going your way is NOT cool!). Cool is consistency.
I thought perhaps the changing to hexigram 54 ultimately means that the world and what happens to us is to the most part beyond our control, but that cool can be a way to approach the uncertainties and difficulties of life in an appropriate manner.
Does anyone have any thoughts?
I went to a really interesting class in London last night title "how to be cool". The host was a doctor of philosophy, who works for an advertising firm helping companies discover what might be the next cool trends might be and how to appeal to people etc.
Of course, no one owns cool and you can't buy cool - which were points he very clearly made. Cool is more than drinking in the right bars, or wearing the right clothes, cool is a way of approaching life to make it more beautiful and meaningful.
It was a really interesting look into history, wit, social psychology, philosophy, even Aristotle got a mention.
According to Aristotle the correct pursuit of life is happiness, but we can only be happy when we exercise each of the virtues in moderation. Which, is an idea central to the notion of being cool: one of taking an appropriate response to every situation.
Basically cool acts have three important qualities: they are appropriate to the situation, they are effortless, they are elegant or beautiful in some way.
An example of that could be a timely gift to a friend, that is touching and shows you care and know the person well, but that the effort and time you spent on the gift is not mentioned. Or to jump on a tube right before the doors close, that zing of meeting between right time, right place, and a beautiful, elegant action.
The wikipedia post on cool is excellent http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cool_(aesthetic)
I asked the I ching: What is " cool" and got 32.1.3 > 54
Which I think is very apt. Hillary talks about Hexagram 32 seeking to take Influence (paired hexagram, 31) and integrate and internalise it, weaving it right into the fabric of life and making a lasting pattern of it. To bring inspiration inside so it becomes inseparable from day to day moments. (In the course the speaker talked about being cool is a case of leading an ordinary life well - there is no need for all of us to be a rock star and cool is not just the domain of the famous or rich).
The superor person always keeps abreast of the time and changes with it (that is pure cool, being in the moment and changing your response to what the time demands).
People become cool by building up cool acts into their lives.
The changing line 1: He who demands too much at once is acting precipitately, and because he attempts too much, he ends by succeeding in nothing.
Cool is not rushed, or too much (as Aristole said one should not have too little courage because that is fear, but also not have to much courage because that is foolhardiness). Indeed someone who does something too over the top can be seen as a try-hard idiot and the exact opposite of cool!
Changing line 3: If a man remains at the mercy of moods of hope or fear aroused by the outer world, he loses his inner consistency of character. Such inconsistency
invariably leads to distressing experiences.
Cool literally means keeping your cool - not being driven by emotions but being able to approach a situation appropriately. To deal with it rationally, and to keep your head during times of danger or conflict. (chucking a tanty because things are not going your way is NOT cool!). Cool is consistency.
I thought perhaps the changing to hexigram 54 ultimately means that the world and what happens to us is to the most part beyond our control, but that cool can be a way to approach the uncertainties and difficulties of life in an appropriate manner.
Does anyone have any thoughts?