I saw a TikTok last night with a description of “Inherited Cool.” The young woman was describing the lack of pop culture knowledge she has because she was raised by immigrant parents. It made me think that Generational Cool is a real thing — like the vintage leather jacket that your dad passes down to you or the nostalgic rock band he listened to as a rebellious teen. But behind all that is the inheritance and privilege that your ancestors had in this country—not only being able to pass down their wealth, but also their gestures and teachings on how to be cool in America. It’s different when your parents are trying to assimilate and survive.

I also saw a comment on the video that said “inherited cool” is white supremacy.