A small-town parade with tractors and the high school band is gloriously uncool. Stand on the curb and wave anyway.

Coolness is mostly a defensive posture. Standing back with your arms folded protects you from looking like you tried, and it also keeps you out of the only part worth having. The tractors and the off-key brass are not the point; the point is a whole town agreeing to be sincere in public for an hour. Joining in is a skill, and it gets harder the longer you spend holding back.

Find one small local thing this week and actually take part instead of watching. Wave, clap, sing the words you know. Notice whether the embarrassment you expected ever turns up.