For nearly a century, the dominant image of manhood has been shaped—some might say haunted—by one simple word: cool.

That word has hovered like a silent script over how men are expected to behave, perform, and carry themselves in the world. The “cool man” is a mythic figure—polished yet effortless, unbothered by chaos, physically and emotionally impenetrable. He’s the guy who can leap over fences, silence a room with a look, fix a broken engine, or walk away from a burning building without flinching. And somehow, despite his distance and detachment, he remains the object of admiration and desire.