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 wealth + Generational Cool is a real thing. You listen to the best rock bands America has to offer. You dress liberational- a new word I made up. 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. I also saw a comment on the video that said inherited cool is white supremacy.

King Leopold II owned the Democratic Republic of Congo for 23 years. For his private property was his- an entirety of people, with different cultures, religions, and languages. I assume that within their resistance, the Congolese found time to depart from reality. Perhaps after meeting their rubber quotas, they wept into the night and later danced their hearts away. Because the Belgian King still owned their labor but never their spirits.