In the 1930s jazz scene, the word was “cool.” Cool jazz contrasted the “hot” jazz that came before, and eventually the adjective was used to describe more than just the sound. Over time, “cool-guys” made their way out of the jazz scene and into mainstream pop culture. The standard for what constitutes a cool guy has changed since the 1930s. We have had suave playboys, professional athletes, rappers, punk-rockers, and even politicians. A lot can be gleaned by looking at what different eras classified as cool. Punk-rockers were cool when self-expression and nonconformity were valued. JFK was possibly the coolest person alive at the peak of the Cold War, when being a “good American” was emphasized.

So what do we think is cool, and what does that say about us? 2024 saw the rise of nonchalance. Or more accurately, a spike in the use of the term “nonchalant.” The archetype of an indifferent, unconcerned figure who seems effortlessly cool is nothing new, but for the first time, the word that encapsulated that attitude was at the forefront of the youth consciousness. So why does our generation think “nonchalance” is cool? It could be said that gen-z is the most self-conscious generation ever. We are chronically online and forced into constant battles of comparison. It should be no surprise that we have a desire for nonchalance; you can’t make fun of someone if they don’t care. Furthermore, you can’t get embarrassed by a mistake if you never run the risk of making one.

I am not the first person to push back on the concept of nonchalance being seen as a virtue. With any trend, there will always be detractors. With all the people online praising nonchalance, there are just as many dropping the “non” and describing themselves as chalant or begging for the return of chalant men. I watched a video essay the other day, which argued that Timothee Chalamet and Tyler, The Creator are making it cool to try hard again. While I agree that these two represent a type of coolness that juxtaposes nonchalance, this argument is predicated on a false premise. It assumes that at some point, it was uncool to try hard. While it may not be the biggest thing right now, the pursuit of greatness through monumental effort has never fallen out of style.

I would like to go a step further than I have seen others go. It is not only cool to work hard towards greatness. It is also cool to work hard towards mediocrity. Of course, Kobe was cool; he wanted to be great, and he would stop at nothing to get there. But the woman who just started playing and can barely dribble the ball is cool too. Trying to get better is cool, regardless of what that looks like, and being nonchalant about it sucks. Nonchalance is an outward expression of insecurity. It is a facade of uncaring to hide how much we really do care. We care about failing. We care about coming off as corny. We care about being seen in the process of trying to get better, in the moments where we just are not there yet. Being nonchalant is lame.