The words 'cool' and 'hot'

Although I wasn't around back then, I think it's interesting how the word 'cool' came about in the socially active, more participatory and open 60's while the word 'hot' was popular in the 90s, an era recovering from Reagan/Thatcher politics and dominator culture. McLuhan, who popularized the word 'cool', talks about a 'hot' medium as facilitating one-way magnification of sense data, while a 'cool' medium involves input from the receiver of the data and involves more participation.

Hot is still used more today, though cool is coming back. I remember a time back in the 90s or 00s when using the word 'cool' was not trendy and everyone said 'that's hot' instead of 'that's cool'. I wonder what McLuhan would have said about all this.

 

'Cool' has become a staple of American slang. 'Hot' is focused mostly in the hip-hop/urban community; and the wannabe-trendy media advertisements.

 

cool means cool, hot means attractive. more things are cool than attractive, so i hear cool a lot more often.

 

Spot on.

Cool is standard, been saying it since I was like 10. Not even really slang anymore.

I don't generally say, or think, hot. It applies to fires, chili, and asses...... That's about it.

 

i propose a new word: acid.

that's acid

 

i never knew useing cool was out i always used it, as long as i can rember. didnt ever use hot though. paris hilton was the only person i heard use it.lol i,m living in a hole

 

I never knew cool was out either. The only time I used hot was when I was going through menopause and that was not to reference what you are talking about. :rofl:

 

lush.

 

Will everything be cool when lame gets hot?

 

I've never stopped using Cool, Its been part of my vocabulary since I was maybe 14................

 

That's, like ... cool :mickey:

 

This topic is shiny.

 

Groovy, Man... Just Groovy! :smoking:

 

Here in the UK it seems like "cool" has been replaced by "sick" (yuck!) and "lush" and who knows what else...I feel old for saying "cool", as it was more a 90s thing.

 

I think "far out" is going to come back in vogue.

 

First time I heard someone say "that's sick"--I didn't get it. But like retired hippie,I been using cool since the early 50s. And that's cool.

 

scratcho... Do you remember "keen" being a saying among kids... This was replaced by "Sharp". Don't know if this was local or widespread, but we all used it back in the early-mid 60's.

 

When things are have a cool vibe I usually refer to them as cool. You smokin some laying back and smokin some refer, thats cooool.

If its hot vibe, like lets go to the clubs theres basslines and women in panties shakin their junk... you walk in the club and say this is hot!!

But now theres: Sick, Dope, Epic, Bangin (hahadropgoblin), Hip, Word, Tight, Fly, Straight

 

my mother used to say sharp a lot to me back in the early 80's now she says cool.

i personally dont like to overuse any words so i will switch it around quite a bit between, cool, hot, awesome, great, nice, thats cool...i guess (said unenthusiasticlly for an ironic feel to it when something is really great) , the shit, the goods, phat, good good good. (imitating an old boss of mine)

 

I wonder which words will be popular in 2013.

I wonder if 'the bees knees' will ever come back.