How is it that some people are able to stay “as cool as a cucumber” when they are under pressure while others have nervous breakdowns? There is no single definition of being cool. While someone may be cool for being calm in a crisis situation, another person may be cool for just being suave and saying the right thing at the right time. Another individual may be considered cool for being a role model and a positive influence on other people. When someone is cool, they are looked up to in authority; they are essentially a leader. Many people want to know them and even more wish they were them. Stanford M. Lyman and Marvin B. Scott explain in their passage, Coolness in Everyday Life, that while anyone can be cool, there are certain risks that must be overcome. These risks have to do with the physical, fiscal, and social aspects of our life. Throughout the past four decades the values of coolness have not changed, but the method of acquiring it have been drastically altered.
Back in 1968 when this essay was written, coolness was a very rare commodity. There was less media and pressure on a person. Now there is more of an emphasis on a person's status in society. Throughout the course of time, coolness has had its ups and downs. People are able to gain respect and lead a hassle-free lifestyle. They will always be wanted by other people. Coolness allows one to have more friends but these friends are more like acquaintances. The person will have fewer real friends. Although coolness is an intangible item, it is important in the fact that it shapes our friends and future.
In January of 2009, a brave pilot, Chelsey Sullenberger, was navigating through the endless skies. Unfortunately, his journey did not turn out to be endless. Shortly after take-off, Sullenberger said he heard a very loud bang on the left hand side of the plane. The plane was over the Hudson River and was quickly plummeting to the ground. Sullenberger used his training from the US Air Force and...