Why the Japanese aren't "cool".

Your interpretation of cool is much different then mine. Yours reminds me of something one might read in the magazine "seventeen" lol.

The judgement that one is cool is not based on how you look, unless of course your the highly superficial clique type who likes to believe what they are told to believe, (see the above generalization of cool).

I can only base such things on a case by case basis after getting to know a person. What is cool to one person, is not to another, therefore the slang word "cool" holds no true universal meaning for many people.
Everyone copies some one, each generation is slightly less cool then the next by your understanding.

See more of what I mean, from dictionary.com

cool Audio pronunciation of "cool" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (kl)
# Slang.

1. Excellent; first-rate: has a cool sports car; had a cool time at the party.
2. Acceptable; satisfactory: It's cool if you don't want to talk about it.

# Slang. Entire; full: worth a cool million.

Informal. In a casual manner; nonchalantly: play it cool.


I honestly do not know what to expect of Japanese and their modern culture. I have never been there and no matter how people tell me to envision it, we all know it's not quiet the same as seeing it and being part of it for ourselves. I've been given the impression that the younger generation is very fashion oriented and pretty superficial, if that's the case, I'm sure I would have little to nothing in common with most of them.

You say Japan spends time trying to be like every other nation, when those other nations spend so much time trying to be like Japan. I say, just cut it out.

I would like to say. Just be yourself!!!

Amazing you made a connection between the fissure in the universal fabric and the all-so-interesting phenomenon of ganguro girls. I thjink that might be related to the fact that the ganguro girls having much more adaptability to the extra ultraviolet rays caused by the depleting ozone layer which was a direct result of CFC's released into the atmosphere, also indirect result of global warming which cause many people with enough electricty and comfort to pump up the air conditioning... you see, this is all related.

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I do wonder..
If ozone layer gets even more depleted, and everyone's complexion becomes even darker, the pale skin would be in? In some parts of the world, it is already fashionable. But I could see that happening on a larger scale.

According to the lessaiz-faire attitude of the Japanese population, instead of suffering more in the clautrophobic cubes, the OG's of Japan took to the beaches (there isn't much sandy ones in Japan, mostly the "kuro" muddy or rocky type being a geologically young island country) and got their natural dark skins. Being genetically close, I was amazed to find an old photo of my youth. I recalled how quickly we, me and my sister, turned dark during the summer. It might be that many kids growing up in the countryside turn "dark" for the summer season, and then back to fair in the fall in preparation of the dimly lit winter. It must be that way all over Japanese countryside -- with ganguro kids returning from their summer vacations. Someone just commercialised it; it must have become hugely popular, as many young people could readily understand the joke behind it all.

So naw, I think the barbie-doll connection is just some post-production tidbits added to juice up the group, not how the whole thing got started !

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Ahh! That's something I haven't even considered. Quite honestly I didn't think people of Asian descent tanned noticeably. Ooops.
If Barbie doll isn't envolved in this toxic trend, somehow I am more at peace all of a sudden.. ^_^

Hmm, an intersting thought...

...that it is a combination of individuality and mass appeal.

You have the followers in the middle, and then the individuals--who end up either being cool or losers based solely on who the followers chose to follow.

I guess all movement really does come from the center... ^_^