Moody Center
Objects to the Word 'Awesome'
RECEIVED Tue., March 10, 2009
Dear Editor,
Re: The awesome-atrons of Austin: Look, I have nothing against overusing a word until it is rendered meaningless; OK, I lied, I hate what you did to "right on!" It used to mean something beyond what it means today: "OK."
Yes we have trouble, right here in River City, and the trouble is awesome! Can one word define a culture, a counterculture? Awesome has lost any of the exultant meaning proportionate to its name; the poor little awesome-atrons of Austin say awesome for anything – awesome is the new "right on!"
Here at the Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse, a woman just dropped a couple of dice from a children's game and said "awesome" as she picked them up. Then her sunglasses slipped to the floor, and she said "awesome" as she picked them up. I couldn't stand it any longer.
"Awesome? Um, what's awesome about that?" I asked. I don't think I even penetrated her awesome-atron stupor – she had no response.
These hip young people in Austin seem to have become like cute little robots, little aliens whose default word for anything is "awesome." I'm not sure there's anything I can do about this epidemic – you might wonder: Why do I care? I care because I love you Austin and all the sweet servers and clients at this coffeehouse where I hang out, but please, brothers and sisters, when you say "awesome" at the drop of a dice or sunglasses, I can only think that your brain is slowly melting under the Texas sun.
Last night, I hosted a wine and cheese party at my Swiss friend's house. There were more than 10 exotic gourmet cheeses from all over the world and a collection of organic wine from Australia to Spain. "Now, this is awesome," I told my friend.
Don't break my heart awesome Austin: If I hear one of your children saying "awesome," I know there's no hope for your fried little culture.
Re: The awesome-atrons of Austin: Look, I have nothing against overusing a word until it is rendered meaningless; OK, I lied, I hate what you did to "right on!" It used to mean something beyond what it means today: "OK."
Yes we have trouble, right here in River City, and the trouble is awesome! Can one word define a culture, a counterculture? Awesome has lost any of the exultant meaning proportionate to its name; the poor little awesome-atrons of Austin say awesome for anything – awesome is the new "right on!"
Here at the Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse, a woman just dropped a couple of dice from a children's game and said "awesome" as she picked them up. Then her sunglasses slipped to the floor, and she said "awesome" as she picked them up. I couldn't stand it any longer.
"Awesome? Um, what's awesome about that?" I asked. I don't think I even penetrated her awesome-atron stupor – she had no response.
These hip young people in Austin seem to have become like cute little robots, little aliens whose default word for anything is "awesome." I'm not sure there's anything I can do about this epidemic – you might wonder: Why do I care? I care because I love you Austin and all the sweet servers and clients at this coffeehouse where I hang out, but please, brothers and sisters, when you say "awesome" at the drop of a dice or sunglasses, I can only think that your brain is slowly melting under the Texas sun.
Last night, I hosted a wine and cheese party at my Swiss friend's house. There were more than 10 exotic gourmet cheeses from all over the world and a collection of organic wine from Australia to Spain. "Now, this is awesome," I told my friend.
Don't break my heart awesome Austin: If I hear one of your children saying "awesome," I know there's no hope for your fried little culture.
Paul Modic