Get a group of people, cut contact with the outside world and give them lives to lead and you would notice (among other things) several profound things about coolness. Firstly several people would vie for dominance, it would essentially be a democracy, people would give attention and think more highly of those they deem to be good. By good I mean the person to have the most and best admirable qualities. Perhaps they would be attractive, strong, witty, intelligent and confident. They would be the successful ones. Their behaviour, dress sense and lifestyle would become the local cool and therefore people would want to emulate them. This is social selection at its finest, judging which qualities make someone cool then encouraging and feeling the need to conform to it. The reason I say all this is an interesting (at least I think so) idea that society works like a giant computer. Each person and each interaction is like a decision, each one refining what it means to be cool. Weaning out uncool qualities in yourself and putting pressure on others to do the same is evolution in the social sphere.
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