How Trying Became Cool Again
Nathan Zed argues that a lack of effort and vulnerability has made art, media, design, music, and architecture boring — that everything has the “soulless, monotonous no-personality vibe”. But artists like Tyler, the Creator; Chappell Roan; Doechii; and Kendrick Lamar are making trying cool again.
It has become uncool to just try. Like, just to put in some effort. Don’t do too much, okay, it’s embarrassing — just be nonchalant, be cool, be effortless. This has made everything boring! Everyone is too scared to try because that would be vulnerable. I feel like only now are we seeing a shift back to people putting in effort and being rewarded for it.
Comments 4
The clip of Chappell Roan chastising the VIP section at Outside Lands for being too cool to do the Hot To Go dance became my mantra last year. “You’re not fun! Be fun and try!”
I mean, Kendrick has been putting out consistently great and daring music for at least ten years now. And Tyler for at least 5 in the mainstream? But agree both of their stuff is way better than a lot of hip hop these days which sounds so generic. Drake gets a bad rap these days, but his early stuff was different and cool. But he’s definitely been phoning it in the last 5 years or so.
Love this, and it reminded me of Tyler's praise of Kendrick here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQQdlEamOu8.
Another recent interview had Tyler talking about how he doesn't aim for cool, but rather self-indulgence, and I think that ties into the passion and vulnerability of "trying" too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFmXVcUUcvc
I’ve disliked the term “cool” for years. Cool doesn’t laugh at itself. Cool is the opposite of warm. To even describe something as cool seems lazy to me. It’s been a while since the “birth of cool” and it’s now old and creaky. Maybe it will die some day.
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