A. My friend just recently got a tattoo. The first letter of all her sisters names inked on her hip, forever. I was curious and asked her about why she chose to get it done, what lead her to it. She said although it may not have much importance or any meaning to anyone else, "I will always know what it means, it will always mean a great deal to me." I think most people can understand where she is coming from. Because we all have things that are important to us but not to anyone else. But I had to ask her why? In response she showed me the black spotted markings that were not visible just by looking at her. "No matter what nothing will ever change the fact that these girls are my sisters. They are important to me and always will be." I agreed thinking of my five siblings. I urged her to go on; " I did it to always be connected to them. to everyone else it shows them what values to me." Along with most of the common responses, her answers were pretty simply and throughly explained. like many others she marked her body with a sign that associates her with something else, in this case her family.

B. people use various methods to mask, costume, aggrandize them self. I try to be someone who is trustworthy and confident. Everyone may not agree. And that’s fine because there is no way to please everyone. In different situations I know I act differently. I don’t thieve to impress everyone, but we all liked to be liked. So I don’t change who I am, and my ideas do not change depending on the person. Sharing the aspects of myself that can relate to the other person help.

If the people I know in my lifetime can think of me after I die and smile, then I believe that my life had some meaning to it.

At some point we all experience the feeling of emptiness. A state where you feel empty inside almost like your hollow. It is a similar leaving feeling to having no one else around you, being alone. We all look for ways to escape it, but it is not easy. The way to improve our feeling of insignificance is to replace it with having a purpose. We thrive to live meaningful lives. We make an attempt to matter. Where we do good, where we live with no regrets, and live in each moment, where we are to be thankful for what we have, to reach our goals, and make impacts on other peoples lives and to never be forgotten.

People need to feel important. They need to obtain some form of acknowledgment, to know that someone’s got your back, to know you are not completely alone. To get a sense of value it helps to feel valued by others. Simply being valued in someone else’s eyes. Then what it all comes down to is defining yourself, defining yourself as an individual. Having other people take an interest in you. Be cool. Something that sounds a lot easier than it all actually seems. From the moment of birth we are drowned with expectations. By a society that dictates the changing culture of cool. Said by Stephen R. Covey a Author and speaker from the 19th century; “Your attitude determines your altitude.” The value you have depends on the ideas you have. It about what you do with the resources you have. A person who’s cool has an attitude, it seems like everything else is based off that. Here: in this world, when a person thrives to be cool, to feel important there are things you have to know. Cool is a hard word to define. There are many contradictions. The society we live in tells us a person who is cool, does not really care, or at least pretend they don’t. They try but they try without showing it or trying to hard. What lengths will people go in order to be cool? We all want to feel valuable and do so by feeling cool. To fill the empty space, and the feeling of being alone people thrive to be cool. But In the end we are living generally the same live following expectations. Just hoping to add some importance to our existence.

We conform to those we look up too. We are drawn to the other people we are most like. Just to escape the fear of being alone.

FRONTLINE: Cool Hunting

Dealing with burden of being cool is tough. Everyone thrives towards a feeling of importance. e all want to be acceptance by people, so we tend to gravitate to the people we are most alike. In the end it is each and every one of us trying to create image of cool for ourselves. Corporations discretely manipulate teens in all different type of advertisements, allowing them to make money. Teenagers look up to the media as a guide to being cool. Each dependent on the other for different things.

Frontline examines the bond between teens and everything in the media. Todays teens are cool, and valued by todays corporations. Teens make the upcoming culture changes, and so they are are targeted by merchants. It is a teen driving economy. Teenagers are huge in their size all together as well as their value. todays teens make up one of the largest generations. Matt Fried points out that on might fill a gap in their life with objects and begin with purchases. I mean buying something new feels good, it has a similar thrill to riding a roller-coaster. It provides a feeling of importance and coolness to people. The fact is, in a single year, these teens spent $100 billion dollars, and depend on their parents to spend another $50 billion dollars!

It is the merchants job to find the cool trends. They have to understand the attitude and lifestyle of a teenager, know what they want and do not want. The goal for these corporations is to get inside the teens head. Their tactic is simply talking to teens in a group to narrow down what type os things attract these teens. Cool hunting researchers say on their mission to finding cool, "Once cool is discovered, it soon moves on" so they have to find a way to keep up. Once they find it they sell back an image of themselves. Matt fried says a common need is simply "Existing in someone's else's mind" So, people tend to rely on love. by loving and being loved people obtain a sense of value. Marketers take what they know and what they have figure out and then sell it back to the teens. Once they understand it becomes easier to sell products, because the teens then feel like someone understands them and they important.

Advertising is tricky, no matter what it is there is always a purpose. While we are mostly oblivious to what corporations do we feed into it. Commercials are made to send out a message and influence the minds of teens. Teens are effected by the media. Facing 3000 advertisements a day and 10 million by the time they reach the age of 18. The media provides teens with a image of cool that they look up too.

Research

"Uncool/cool." Urban Dictionary (1999-2009) 6 Dec 2009.

You will find various definitions of a certain word on this site. provides different words that are associated with the word cool. Many of these word are ones we all think of, "relaxed" and "popular", but along with the sample situations the word cool is better defined.

This site provides various definitions to certain words. Not only provides all the typical response one might think of, but many other extraordinary one too.

"How To Be Cool." Lifestyle Lounge: Society (2008): Web. 6 Dec 2009.

this article is a simply guide to being cool. It begins by pointing out the fact that cool is a "secret wish for everyone." the list of tips and tricks make up a person who fits most every persons definition of being "cool."

One who thrives to be the coolest person should follow this guide. it reflects every common shared definition of the image "cool."

Blumenfeld , Amir. "A Nerd's Guide to Being Cool in College. "College Humor (2004): Web. 7 Dec 2009. .

This article, is divided into different sections of four components of being cool; hair, clothes, demeanor, and social life. It targets the cool guy in college and provides one with advice on what to do and what not to do.

In these steps to being cool the reader is brought to the attention of how cool they are. It starts out with a personal introductions and how to approach your situation with a good attitude or your due to failure. the examples, and detailed explanation of mastering the art of being cool are expressed with all the typical perspectives of cool.

Interveiws

Street:::

wandering the street for a while i talked to a few interesting people. Although most of the time being rejected by people who thought they were too cool to talk to me, i managed to talk to a a total of four people.

The guy with the leather jacket.

He caught my eye as he was walking across the street, when the light was was changed and everyone else waited. he walked causally with his hands in his pocket. i said hi and surprisly got his attention. i complimented his look hoping he would stay to let me finish. his reaction was typical "uh...thanks. i dont judge myself as cool/uncool." He went on to say that his look was comfortable to him, "people are cool when they are comfortable with themselves."

Black Coat business man

A easy target was this man enjoying his lunch by the park. i tried not to be creepy when i sat down next to him and stricked up conversation. Devin asked about someone he thought was cool. i was a little surprised when he said Obama. "Our president is cool. He is laid back, handles situations on the spot, and is very different from any other president we have had before." he went on and expressed a moto me thought was a cool one to follow "Dont sweat the small stuff" Well said.

Guy with Sunglasses

this guy looked pretty put together, it seemed he put some thought into his look. I was hopping for a good response when i asked him where his idea of cool comes from, "i never really thought about it before. it is different for everyone. i just do with whatever grabs my attention."he thought for a while about the qualities a cool person has, but when on to say " a person who is laid back, no annoying. someone who is patient....definitely someone who can laugh at themselves."

Family:::

my 11-year old cousin overhear our conversation about cool. in response she added on her own thoughts. Molly said " uhhhh i think the definition of cool is when people like you and you don't panic. i guess.....im ok. so uncool is when you are not average and no one likes you."

Stylin

1. Do you think you are cool?

“Yes, because im nice on the inside. And try to look cute and represent my

self well on the outside.”

2. Where do your thoughts of cool come from?

“I’m inspired by the people around me. My family and friends are what I go with.”

3. What do you think cool is: way a person looks or their personality?

“Either one completely. Personality matters more. But look is what people first see about you and represents who you are. It can say a lot.”

4. How much effort and time do you spend on your look everyday?

“I always cool… hahah…I guess it depends on the day. Sometimes 10 minutes sometimes a lot more. I prepare the day before"

1. Do you think you are cool?

"I guess. people have told me Im cool. its hard to answer."

2. Where do your thoughts of cool come from?

"From the people I hang out with, all my friends. i hope i have an impact on them too."

3. What do you think cool is: way a person looks or their personality?

"Personality definitely. i just try and be a person other people can relate too in the way i look and act."

4. How much effort and time do you spend on your look everyday?

"On an average day, about 15 minutes per day getting ready."

1. Do you think you are cool?

“I am. Im a cool comfortable guy."

2. Where do your thoughts of cool come from?

"I look up to the bands I like my thoughts of cool i would have to say come from them. and For me, Bob dylan is the coolest guy ever."

3. What do you think cool is: way a person looks or their personality?

"Both make an impact. there kinda has to be a balance of both or your done."

4. How much effort and time do you spend on your look everyday?

“I try my best to look my best and usually it takes like 40 minutes."