What does it mean to be "cool?" Does "coolness" matter to you?

Remember middle school, when being cool was the most important thing ever? What did that actually mean, anyway?

Some studies have linked popularity to prosocial behavior, or behaving in a way that shows empathy and caring for other people. This contradicts the stereotype that mean girls and bullying jocks represent the popular crowd.

What do you think? Is being “cool” really just being nice to other people? Why is this so important to kids? Is it, on some level, still important to you now, as a grownup? Does being “cool” mean something different as an adult?