"I don't think I really know just how cool Satan really was when I was in Junior High School. Now, thanks to Marilyn Manson, it's no longer a secret"

In this quote, Jim Coleman reviews the development of cultural understandings regarding the figure of Satan, and how these understandings were influenced during his life time. When Coleman points out not fully valuing "how cool Satan really was" throughout his junior high school years, he recommends that, at that time, his understanding of Satan was most likely formed by conventional narratives-- frequently unfavorable and fear-inducing. This duration, typically identified by a more traditional and conservative cultural viewpoint, may have depicted Satan as a purely malicious figure within spiritual contexts, emphasizing the dangers of sin and evil.

However, Coleman's perspective appears to shift as he acknowledges the influence of Marilyn Manson, an intriguing music artist known for his questionable and theatrical style. Manson, through his work in the 1990s and beyond, challenged conventional standards and accepted styles of rebellion, nonconformity, and individuality, often utilizing Satanic images and meaning. By mentioning that thanks to Marilyn Manson, "it's no longer a secret", Coleman recommends that Manson contributed in bringing these alternative interpretations of Satan into the mainstream consciousness.

Through this lens, Satan becomes a symbol of countercultural coolness-- a representation of disobedience versus social standards, questioning of authority, and the pursuit of personal liberty and credibility. Manson's usage of Satanic imagery, therefore, could be seen as debunking and even glamorizing elements of this icon that were when feared or shunned. Thus, Coleman assesses a cultural shift where Satan has actually moved from being a figure exclusively connected with fear to one intertwined with the appeal of the strange and the subversively appealing. This shift highlights the complex methods which cultural figures are appropriated and recontextualized in reaction to societal changes, particularly those triggered by prominent artists like Marilyn Manson, who challenge the status quo and redefine iconography for new generations.