The ultimate list of what’s cool (and what’s not) | Life and style
What a lovely piece by Elle Hunt (Can I Learn to Be Quiet—Though I’m a Talkative, Smutty, Stocking-Wearing No-Present?, October 30). Greatness lies in those people who are complete in themselves, who never stop to wonder if they are great, but simply do it, love what they do, and are generally excellent at it. The originality is wonderful. Less is more than great. By definition, Elle, you’re great (you write for The Guardian).
Celebrities: Most of them are fake cool. Cool pruned, cool plant, not cold. Miles Davis, for a large part of his existence, bathed in a state of tranquility, embodied cold and almost inventing something great.
Cate Blanchett has her fair right to be cool. Billie Eilish, Charli XCX – in your face gorgeous. Lorde – Quirky cool. Daniel Craig, Brad Pitt, George Clooney – great adults. Keanu Reeves – a wonderful woman at his age. Lewis Hamilton – openness, flexibility, and painful self-honesty; Very cool. (While Lando Norris is not great. Oscar Piastri is great, but Lando is never great.) Colson Whitehead is great.
It should not be confused with style. Style may be a great imitation, or desperately want to be great, but style is merely a by-product of greatness; Child love is cool. Monty Don and his jacket are great. Elegance, however – Elegance is a great, defiant lover; Simple elegance, its inseparable companion.
Silence can be cold, but not when it’s cold. Listening more than speaking is great.
People who care more about others are great. People who speak out against injustice are great. Destroying the planet for financial gain is not cool. Killing civilians is not cool. Invading other countries, killing children, or allowing children to be killed, is not cool. Belief in superiority is not cool. Hate is not cool. Love is wonderful. Forgiveness is wonderful.
Not everyone can be that, but almost everyone can try to be a little cooler.
Dennis Baker
Nyon, Switzerland
The coolest guy ever was of course Miles Davis. Capitol Records released the album The Birth of the Cool under Davis’ name in 1957. Cool jazz became a thing after the end of World War II, replacing bebop with a less soulful sound.
The album’s music was recorded in the late 1940s and arranged by the great Gil Evans. Stately sounds of dual instruments, singing melodies. The music and title may be separate, having been conceived at different times and combined to fit the emerging cool jazz scene.
I saw Davis perform in London in the 70s and 80s. He never spoke to the public. He came on stage with dark glasses, played (often with his back to the audience), and then left while the other musicians continued to improvise around the theme. I later found out that he was not a good person. Still cool, though.
Robert Barnes
(Henley on the River Thames in Oxfordshire).
The research study Elle Hunt mentioned missed the most important trait: it’s nice to be nice.
David Jeffrey
(West Malvern in Worcestershire).
Elvis was great.
Dolly Brenzel
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
There’s another reason brown and black people are in the ads Sarah Bushin hates: We’re great (Nigel Farage defends MP’s complaint about TV ads as ‘ugly’ but not ‘deliberately’ racist, October 27). I know it sounds rude, but it attacks the soft power of those who face the public (and are seen as caring in a time of crisis) in the NHS, and those who provide entertainment. Music, publishing, acting, fine arts – we are there, producing works that appeal to young people – who will soon become voters.
Roshi Fernando
Evening, Gloucestershire