Cool people Quote by Andrea Lawlor
““Paul liked to pick out the secretly cool people, people too cool to flash their coolness. The cool people were not always or even usually the same as the shiny people. Often someone shiny was too conventionally good-looking to be cool but they were still compelling, in terms of sheer wattage. Paul knew he wasn't good-looking enough to be shiny, but he could be cool in certain contexts. Cool was relational and conceptual; cool took work, cool was a meritocracy which, with all its flaws, he still preferred to the aristocracy of genetics.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch, 2018
Coolness is a social construct based on effort and context, not just appearance; it values merit over genetics despite flaws.
In simple terms: Coolness depends on effort and context, not looks.
Key Takeaway
Earn respect through actions, not looks.
Themes
social status
meritocracy
identity
perception
culture
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- networking events
- team projects
- creative collaborations
- leadership roles
Key Concepts
social constructs
relational value
meritocracy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you define coolness in your life?
- Can merit outweigh appearance in leadership?
A Different Perspective
Coolness can be superficial and exclude genuine talent.
![“Out of the blue, Paul reported feeling bouts of calm euphoria, a mystical sense of all's-right-with-his-life-and-the-universe, a bright future in sight. ... I knew well the state of vigorous calm he meant, a frequent visitor throughout my own life. [p. 290]” quote by Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ef6/diane-ackerman-1035_bright-future_out-of-the-blue-paul-reported-feeling-bo_566856.jpg)
