The Rise and Fall of the Rebel Cool

James Dean marked the golden years of the Rebel Cool

Beginning in the 1920’s with the flappers, we saw a subculture of what I would call the “rebel cool”. Over the generations, this subset of society has grown more and more, reaching its pinnacle around the early 1990’s, then degenerating ever sense. 

Before the rebel cool

The United States has made much progress in living conditions. Prior to the 1920’s and the industrial revolution, survival was most important in the minds of the youth. There was no time for intentionally destroying what society has built up and society would not tolerate deviant behavior much at all. Today, in third world nations or within oppressive regimes, we see a lack of this phenomena. An individual does not care about being cool when their survival is on the line.

The 1920’s Flapper Era

The 1920’s saw a boom in the increase of living standards. The advent of the internal combustion engine, along with improvements in farm implementation meant an unprecedented amount of free time that people could spend. Teenagers were now able to spend time away from the fields at their homes and hang out with their friends after school. My grandma told me stories of them piling in a buggy and wagon with her friends and travel 8 miles to a nearby town every week to go dancing as a teenager, something her parents did not have the luxury of doing. 

She is a part of the rebel alliance

We can see references of the "flapper" culture rise at this time. Women adorned comparatively shorter skirts and shorter hair. A new counter culture sprang up, going against what society deemed as acceptable. While before this time, there have always been certain individuals who would go against cultural norms they would end up being burned at the stake, tarred and feathered or otherwise been relegated to very minor cultural influence. 

Coolnesses "Golden Age"

During the 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's, the flappers and the beatniks eventually gave to an every growing population of rebels. This eventually grew to the 1950's biker look with movie actors like James Dean, Steve McQueen, and musicians like Wanda Jackson and Elvis Presley holding the stage. The "Rebel Cool" finally reached a popularity where the mainstream culture was feeling it's influence. "Rock and Roll is here to stay" quipped Danny Rapp of Danny and the Juniors. 

The 1950's were marked with a time when a young man could wear a leather jacket with a pack of cigarettes rolled up in his sleeve, looking the part of being "rebel cool" and still work a good honest job and show respect to his mother. His rebellion was in his act, looks and mannerisms, not necessarily in his behavior. 

Coolness ends it's honeymoon stage

In the 1960's, we saw a change. With the rise of the boomer generation and coolness becoming mainstream, it was no longer possible to stand out by just acting the part of being a rebel. The teenagers of this time period began to blatantly go against societal pressures and get into sex, drugs, anti-patriotism, and other sorts of negative behavior. 

The problem is, a generation of rebels cannot raise a generation of rebels without those kids becoming even more rebellious than the previous generation in order to hold on to that status. This trend continued into the 1990's with ever increasing disobedience to God's and society's laws, culminating with the rise in gang violence becoming popular in the 1990's. 

Self awareness

In 1991, the grunge band Nirvana released the track, "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Kurt Cobain sung about a deodorant with the name brand "Teen Spirit". He generally acknowledged that it was mean to be a call to arms. He said, "It has revolutionary themes, but I don't really mean it in a militant [light], he said in a 1991 interview. "The generation's apathy is getting out of hand. [I'm] pleading to the kids, 'Wake up!"" The forerunners of the cultural warriors find out that there really isn't anything left to rebel against. 

She might think she is a rebel, but is she cool?

I can see this in my own life. With the mainstream of society going beyond what I am willing to do in my own life, I no longer have the option of being "rebel cool" anymore. In order to rebel against a society, I would have to show behavior that is even more negative than the society itself. Although we do have some individuals who are rebelling by firebombing federal buildings or mutilating themselves, it is no longer cool, nor would it be worth the negative impacts on my own life.

Going beyond Rebel Cool

Beyond rebel cool and the self actualization comes the niche society. Without the mainstream to rebel against, we must learn to demonstrate our individuality in our own ways. While I'm too old to be cool anymore, I do take pride in a few hobbies of mine. I rock climb, I like to take my wife out dancing, I work hard in my church responsibilities. My oldest son is in his senior year in High School, Instead of rebelling, he enjoys spending his time with what I like to call "the nerd herd" at a local board game store, playing Dungeons and Dragons. He runs track, competes in the debate club, and rock climbs along with his old man. Similarly, my oldest daughter spends her time working on art, playing with the dog, cooking, and otherwise being good kids. 

Rebelling may get you noticed, but today you may ask "At what cost?". There are many positive uplifting hobbies, interests and clubs out there. If we take the initiative, we can find good friends to be cool with, even if they are just as dorky as we are.

There is nothing left to rebel against.