John McWhorter writes Are curse words becoming more common? and notes how language is evolving:

In the same way, in a lifetime we cannot easily see that what start as colorful meanings inevitably go beige. Language is all about creeping numbness, jokes wearing thin, feeling devolving into gesture. Terrible once meant truly horrific.

Well put.

The range of words we use is shifting so I tend to normalize superlatives when I hear them. Good no longer means what good once meant. Okay is now good. Good is now great. Great is now mind-blowing. Mind-blowing is mind-f*cking-blowing brilliant!

At the same time, all of them are awesome.

Link via The Atlantic.

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