Truth Behind the "Cool"

In the article, “The Cost of Being Cool,” by Hanna Kozlowska, she examines the societal trend of labeling cites with the term “cool.” She focuses on answering the question “what makes a city cool and is that a good thing?” She argues that this label is not as innocent as it seems because it causes more harm than most are aware of. She wants to convince her audience—particularly those Americans who show particular interest in “cool” rankings—that this label is not healthy for our society and therefore we need to abandon that habit.

I think that Kozlowska is effective in convincing her audience because she gives many reasons to support her claim. She builds credibility because she consistently quotes individuals who are qualified to address these issues, such as town mayors and reputable newspaper/online editors. One of the first issues she addresses is that when we attach things a city should be proud of (diversity, urbanity, transit accessibility, etc) to a sociological identity it polarizes them from the rest of society and therefore creates bitter feelings towards the general public and the “young snobbish hipsters” who congregate in these “cool” cities. In addition, she argues that the influx of semi-permanent tourists drives up the cost of rent for locals which creates a disparity between that city’s income and what foreigners pay for their real estate; she claims that inevitably, that the locals become a service economy catered to the tourists. One of her lasts points includes the fact that some cities (such as Portland) does not have the infrastructure and potential for growth that is necessary for the reputation that they have because the city is unable to offer enough jobs to cover the influx of young, qualified people.

In addition to using credible sources, Kozlowska backs up her argument with her successful use of subtle irony/paradox, even ending with a powerful rhetorical question. In essence she uses these elements to get readers to think and consider on their own; what can we do to ensure that “cities whose amenities that attract people [don’t] end up eroding what made a city desirable in the first place?” Her paragraphs are well structured and flow from point to point making it easy to understand. She also varies her sentence structure frequently which not only keeps the attention of her audience, but makes it easier to be convinced by her argument.

Kozlowska addresses a very interesting, kairotic issue and she successfully convinces her target audience that naming cities “cool” has a multitude of negative effects. Her use of several rhetorical devices helps to establish that point throughout the article.