It was just me and my homeboy,John Li. We were walking along third avenue, after being rejected on second avenue. Being all discouraged and stuff, we were talking about our plans to interview people from our internship- people that we know, kind of. It right after that discussion when we saw this one female from afar. She was short, relative to either one of us. She was also chubby, relative to either one of us. This female was just standing there, looking around. But I noticed the neon vest she had on, which indicated to me that she was just standing there, with a purpose.
As we walked crossed the street, getting closer and closer to this female, I was aware that my mouth was slightly opened, and my cheeks (on my face) were higher than usual. I began by telling her that we go to School of the Future (actually I said, "that school over there," and I pointed behind her. "School of the Future.") and were doing interviews for our cool unit. She nodded, and I took that as I sign that she was willing to be an interviewee.
When asked about what she thinks are some of the characteristics of a cool person, she responded by saying, "someone who is cool... His outfit, he has a unique outfit. Knows what he wants in life." John expanded by asking if there were certain stereotypes based on how people try to act cool. She responded: clothes are not representative of their personality. She said that she sees a lot of kids from the School of Visual Arts dressing gothic-like, but it doesn't mean that they worship the devil. She mentioned this point, three times.
I asked this person: why do you think people would try to be cool over being smart? She said "they just want to fit it." She emphasized on how people wanted to "belong" and seek for acceptance. I then asked: wouldn't a smart person contribute more to society than a cool person? She restated her point about people wanting to fit in.
We said our thank you's (mostly because she allowed us to get one of our interviews done). And we headed back towards the school, and reflected on what just happened in our lives.
John "nice SAT teacher" Ma
I wasn't sure if I would be comfortable in asking another stranger for an interview (mostly out of the fear of rejection), so I began to brainstorm a list of people I knew that I could interview. Being that this mental process took place on a Wednesday, I thought: I could interview my supervisor when I go to internship tomorrow. And so I went to my internship the very next day, which happens to be the school I went to for SAT prep. It turns out that he had something else to do, and didn't show up.
Moving onto plan B, I emailed him. After asking for asking for permission, and exchanging a few words of appreciation, I received this email:
"1. Why do you think people (specifically teens) have more aspiration to be "cool" than to be intelligent, even thought intelligence is what's going to contribute to society more?
Coolness is an attitude, a style, or rather a way of living. Intelligence is, i think, reasoning, problem solving skills, relating to people, setting and achiving objective, etc.. Both are very complex concepts, but they are not necessarily contradict each other. I think one can be both cool and intelligent.
if you think of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, "Coolness" of teens satisfies lower level of needs, so it comes first.. intelligence satisfies higher level of needs, so it takes a few years (perhaps in college) for teens to realize that intelligence is the tool they need to reach higher goals.
2. Do you think trying to be cool is a distraction, or is all just part of life? If it's a distraction, what is it distracting us from? If it's just a part of life, do you think this is a good way of living?
I think being cool is just part of life. There are two kinds of cool : Cool with originality, or Cool by immitating others..
Cool with originality and creativity is a good way of living.
Although one pays prices for being cool.
3. Is it possible to be cool without trying to attain: attention, approval, attraction, and/or power? If so, how?
Yes, it's possible. A philosopher named Ludwig Wittgenstein, he went into the mountain and started a school to teach village children for many years. I thought that's cool. His dad was the richest man in Europe at that time."
I read it, and posted it on www.blogger.com
Sister (aka. my cousin)
Of course, even with that email I was still missing one more interview. I decided to ask my cousin. I first asked her through the phone. She agreed, and I told her I'd meet her at our grandma's house that night. That didn't happen until the night after. The interview didn't even happen during that night after. Nobody felt like recording.
The time finally came when I felt like recording the interview. We were sitting in a car, waiting to arrive at Chinatown, and what I recorded was:
Me: What does the word "cool" mean to you?
Sister: The weather. It's cold out.
Me: I meant in terms of your attitude.
Sister: Nonchalant. Cool people I know are relax. They have their own philosophies [I thought she said velocities] on life. Such as this one person I know. His name is Sherman.
Me: So you think he's original?
Sister: He is very original.
Me: Can you expand on how he's cool and original?
Sister: At the time, I was an uptight, college sophomore. And I met him in my Japanese class. After getting to know him, he taught me that I shouldn't hold everything so close to heart. As long as you do what is needed to be done. There is no use stressing over things that inevitable.
Me: I don't agree with that.
Sister: I'm not done....Because you're going to spend most of your time stressing rather than doing. And whatever gossip that he hears regarding him and bad attitudes regarding him, he confronts it with the same nonchalant and with an international hand gesture. He will not get angry or get violent. At that time, I was stressed by still adjusting to a new academic environment and situation in the household so his attitude was very refreshing. And I feel refreshing equals cool. HOLLA!!
The conversation took a pause. In a lame attempt to milk the interview for all it's worth, I asked if his fashion sense had an effect on his coolness. She said things pertaining to (I got too lazy to write down all her random thoughts word for word): guitar, bright clothing, being different from everyone in school, leopard printed book bag, tall, fobby, HK style (Hong Kong style), photographer, drinks alcohol).
Sister: Is that it?
Me: Yeah.
No comments:
Post a Comment