# NO! – it is not AWESOME **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 11, 2005, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538 "2005-02-11T04:30:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alonzo_John_Blitz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/1 "2005-02-11T04:30:34Z")
I know that language is a fluid thing – ever changing, adapting itself to the speakers who speak it; but there are certain words which should never be fucked with. Over the years, numerous words have been diluted to meaninglessness by the repetitious misuse rampant in the vernacular. Like stones knocked and tossed and made jagged, or worn smooth by the moving waters that move them, words have come to have meanings that suit the speakers. They evolve or devolve from the original definitions. I’m cool with that. Pretty much. But when you take an exceptional concept such as AWESOME and apply it to everything from tennis shoes to hamburgers, well, I take exception. Supernovae are AWESOME, the extinctions of species are AWESOME, tsunamis are AWESOME, earthquakes are AWESOME, basically all of nature is AWESOME. Granted, humankind is also an expression of nature, and its expressions arise out of nature, but while the things that humankind accomplish often achieve the status of REMARKABLE, sometimes MAJESTIC, and even now and then, MAGNIFICENT, these bridges, buildings, dams and power stations never, ever reach the status of AWESOME. So fuck everyone everywhere who so lightly uses the word AWESOME to describe their new pair of pants, the pasta they ate last night, internet cable hook-up, the dump they took this morning, or anything less than something worthy of the word. We have to draw the line somewhere. It might as well be here. \*\*AWESOME: 1. Inspiring awe: an awesome thunderstorm. 2. Expressing awe: stood in awesome silence before the ancient ruins. 3. Slang. Remarkable; outstanding: “a totally awesome arcade game” (Los Angeles Time As you may infer from the OP, I disavow this third definition. awe n. 4. A mixed emotion of reverence, respect, dread, and wonder inspired by authority, genius, great beauty, sublimity, or might: Archaic. a. The power to inspire dread. b. Dread.\*\* Oh, look – something shiny! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/2 "2005-02-11T04:35:27Z")
Hey, the dump I take some mornings definitely has had the power to inspire dread… ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/3 "2005-02-11T04:37:37Z")
You do have to remember that English, especially the American version, allows much leeway in the use of words. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/4 "2005-02-11T04:40:18Z")
Hmm, how do you feel about the misappropriation of the word “lame” then? Because I’m trying to think of how to describe the topic. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/5 "2005-02-11T04:42:50Z")
Awesome, Dude! But like seriously, I thought it was so awesome that somebody would pit awesome…AWESOME! (Dude, I had to…) ---
**Author:** ![Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alonzo_John_Blitz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/6 "2005-02-11T04:43:57Z")
Yes, **Reeder** , thus my caveat up front. But good wine diluted by water, whatever the quality of the water, becomes weaker by the dilution. Some words should be reserved to their original meanings. I feel that AWESOME is one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/7 "2005-02-11T04:44:54Z")
You’re fun. You quote the dictionary and then discount the part that peeves you. :dubious: And the awesome rant? It’s been done. The time to get mad about this has long since passed. When the dictionary says that a word is slang, it’s offically slang. I honestly can’t wait until the various spellings of “extreme” hit you. And while you were in your cave, misspelling words became popular too. And don’t spend too much time online. That may cause you a heart attack :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alonzo_John_Blitz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/8 "2005-02-11T04:47:51Z")
Hey **Sol** you may be right. Maybe this is a weak rant. But haven’t you ever heard someone say ‘This pizza is awesome!’ and thought ‘No, it’s just a pizza.’? ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/9 "2005-02-11T04:51:05Z")
I so agree. In the same vein, I don’t swear, not because I’m morally against it, but by reserving invectives for their intended purpose, gives them back their meaning. If anyone who knows me hears me say “Fuck!” They duck and cover. Also, by not using trendy words, you’ll never sound out dated. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alonzo_John_Blitz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/10 "2005-02-11T04:53:05Z")
**Harborwolf** , you have reduced me to a puddle of cheese. I bow to your superior posting. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/11 "2005-02-11T05:26:41Z")
Ahh… some. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/12 "2005-02-11T06:09:07Z")
An awesome OP indeed. Awesome like a BILLION hotdogs, sir. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Girl)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/13 "2005-02-11T06:23:18Z")
Guilty as charged. Just tonight, I realized that when I’m at work and I ask someone to do something, I usually follow it up with, “That would be awesome.” Me: Could you go wipe down all the tables in the cafe?" Co-worker: Sure. Me: That would be awesome. This is a common refrain. I didn’t even realize I said it so much. Guess all I can say now is that when someone actually does do something I ask, it is a thing of great beauty to me. It’s nearly as good as an awesome sunset. Or something like that. Sorry 'bout that, chief. ---
**Author:** ![hazel-rah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@hazel-rah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hazel-rah)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/14 "2005-02-11T06:25:04Z")
It’s simple. My new shoes are awesome, tsunamis are totally awesome, and supernovas are totally fucking awesome. It’s all about adjectival overloading these days! ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/15 "2005-02-11T06:26:41Z")
> [@LifeOnWry](#): > > An awesome OP indeed. > > Awesome like a BILLION hotdogs, sir. No, I think it is awefull! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/16 "2005-02-11T06:27:54Z")
It’s totally awesome that someone would write a rant about the word awesome. Awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/17 "2005-02-11T06:51:27Z")
> [@Alonzo John Blitz](#): > > I’m cool with that. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/18 "2005-02-11T08:40:12Z")
That rant was absolutely _fantastic_. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/19 "2005-02-11T08:46:56Z")
Keep on truckin’. …what? ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2005, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538/20 "2005-02-11T09:10:15Z")
Many years ago, the comic strip “Doonesbury” featured a dream-sequence story arc in which Joanie got a chance to talk to her late friend Andy. Joanie asks Andy what God is like, and Andy replies, “Remember what ‘awesome’ meant before it applied to pizza? That’s him.” Cracked this linguist/atheist right the hell up. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-it-is-not-awesome/289538.md?page=2)