Rough Draft of Cool Paper

Everyone whether the realize it or not is worried about being cool. They are worried about how other people will view them or even accept them. people are mainy conscerned with the superficial view of cool, and not what causes this desire to become cool. I think that the idea of being cool actually comes from feeling meaningless. There is something missing that causes people to have this meaningless feeling, in turn making them crave attention (or the need to be cool). What exactly is missing though? Is it something that we as humans are commonly missing which is causing us to crave attention?

worrying about appearance is also seen in "The Death of Ivan Ilych". Living up to society's standards is something most people strive to do. In 2009, people are living their lives just to be accepted by the people around them, but also to be accepted by society. Living up to what our culture believes is right and in turn 'cool' can make people satisfied with the way they live their life ( for the most part).In "The Death of Ivan Ilych" Ivan does whatever it takes to live by society's standards (in mid 1800's). He does all he can so he can be viewed as important, whether it's his prestige in the courts or how he decorates his house. He always has to feel that he is approved by others.

Ivan Ilych is portrayed as a man who has it all he comes from a good family, has a good paying job, marries a woman from a good family, and is also handsome. However, his life is centered around his job in the courts. He believes that the most important thing in his life is "his official duties. The whole interest in his life now centered in the official world and that interest absorbed him" (p.11). He is not only absorbed by his duties in office, but by what position he holds. He has to have the job that will pay the most money to fit his lifestyle. He has to have the job with the highest honor and respect.I find it interesting how he overlooks everything else in his life besides his job. He lets this idea of having authority and importance take over his life and consume all of his happiness.I feel like he is selling him short by having this attitude towards life. He isn't able to see what is truly meaningful to him and not what he thinks others think should be meaningful. He has this idea that being approved and accepted by everyone is the most meaningful thing in his life.

Besides being obsessed with his job, Ivan Ilych is also obsessed with material things. Very similar to now, he feels that living a lavish lifestyle means that he is living a meaningful and important life. In reality, all it is giving him is acceptance in society. Before he gets sick, you can see how excited and happy he gets when he talks about decorating or buying things for himself. He wants to have nice to stand out in society. However in reality "it was just what is usually seen in the houses of people of moderate means who want to appear rich, and therefore only succeed in resembling others like them selves"(p.13). Very similar to today, everyone thinks that they are standing out by buying expensive things. How is that considered unique when everyone is doing the exact same thing. That shouldn't make you feel important, but like a follower. It seems like Ivan felt being accepted or 'popular' in society means that you were living a meaningful life.

"Ivan Ilych's life had been most simple and most ordinary and therefore most terrible." Ivan Ilych has wasted most of his life worrying about the approval of others, rather than focusing on more important things. He is so blinded by other things that it is keeping him from living a more meaningful life. Once he realizes this, it's a little too late.

Besides hair, clothes, and accessories. People (especially teenagers) feel like getting a tattoo will boost their appearance and their level of cool. The definition of a tattoo is a "permanent mark or design made on the skin by a process of pricking and ingraining an indelible pigment or by raising scars" (thefreedictionary.com). When a tattoo is put this way it definitely seems less glamorous, however it sounds more bad ass. Tattoos have become apart of American culture, no matter what race. A tattoo is looked at as a right of passage in some ways for many people. Going against parents rules and branding your self with something that will be with you for the rest of your life provides a high. Especially for the first one. With all of this on my mind, I still wonder what is the real fascination people have with tattoos. I am one of those teenagers who cant wait until they get this design on their body that will be with them forever. I guess the idea that I'm the only one with that exact tattoo makes me feel unique and special. Even though I don't know what i want yet, I cant wait to get a tattoo.

A lot of the people I talked to had mixed feelings about tattoos. The older the person was, the more it seemed like they regretted the decision of getting a tattoo. When I asked my mom about her two tattoos, she said she didn't regret the tattoos themselves, but the fact that she got them. She regrets her following her friends to get tattoos one late night (but not what she got a tattoo of). Older people seem to regret following the norm, and giving in to the whole idea of getting a tattoo(even if they don't agree with it).

However when I asked my friends closer to my age, they felt the same way I did. Some don't have any tattoos yet but aren't far off form getting their first one. My boyfriend has 4 tattoos at 19. His tattoos range from a 'mural' for a his little brother that past to a quote "Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are". He explained how every tattoo had some type of meaning to him and what he has experienced in his life. He didn't want to regret any of his tattoos because he this is a life long thing. It seemed like most of the people I talked too strayed away from getting a 'tramp stamp' or something meaningless. People are more conscious about what they are getting on their bodies and how it represents them.