Tanning Of America Reading Reflection #4

On page 96, the author writes, " America was being given a how-to manual for how to walk, how to talk, what to wear, and how to be cool." What are your thoughts on this within the context of today? What platforms inform a similar sentiment with today's youth?

I think this is still largely true by today's standards. Today, you can watch language spread across different groups as terminology becomes popular. Gay men and drag queens will pick up and use slang from black communities. That slang spreads through other lgbtq+ communities and makes its way to "hip" straight white women. It seems adult white men are what make it not cool anymore, and then the cycle continues.

Social media has boosted this trend in the traveling "coolness" through groups of people. Middle school boys pick up on this measure of "cool" and have also started using the standards society views as cool, which is still just everyday life for some people.

In the US if you track where a trend or something "cool" starts, often times youll be lead back to black communities, who are the movement creating the culture.