"Awesome" and "Amazing", not really

A conversation I recently overheard:

Question: Can I have a cup of coffee?

Answer: Yes

Response: Awesome

When I called my friend  to tell him that I had received the mail sent by him, he responds "Awesome". " Your dress should be ready by evening". Again the feedback: "Awesome".   When he wears a simple white shirt, she says: "you look awesome".  The word is used to describe anything good and pleasing - be it a movie, mall, a new dress, a pair of shoes ....  It is even, at times, used as a substitute for "thank you".

The usage is viewed as  an appropriate response in most offices/schools/colleges and even among small boys and girls in the age group of 8 and 10.  "Awesome" has become a default word for many. 

Many people are not aware of the full meaning.  In my quest to appreciate the usage of "awesome", I checked with freedictionary.com. Some examples: an awesome thunderstorm; stood in awesome silence before the ancient ruins.  In addition to joyful "awe", awesome can mean inspiring terror, as in "awesome power of the sea"; inspiring admiration or wonder. Awesome power of atom bomb; the mountains look awesome.

It is such a 'big',  word  but used for 'small' things. If roadside pani puri is awesome, how would you describe your newborn baby?  We are shown  lots of things of moderately interesting, but qualified  as "awesome".

"Amazing" is a close second word. "Amazing" bothers more than "awesome". These words are grossly overused and misused.  Prescribing "amazing" as a replacement is a cure worse than the disease.  Is the overuse of  these usages started in America or elsewhere?   What really bugging is  that  all generations use "awesome" and "amazing" .  Or, is it that you are too lazy to use your brain to select the apt word for the occasion, you use "awesome" and "amazing"? My friend is a nice guy, but not "amazing". New York is an amazing city! Mother Teresa's biography makes an amazing reading! Lots of marketing guys artificially or ignorantly using the word "amazing" is common place. The excessive expression by people everywhere bids to impress some one.  The overuse can be interpreted as misuse and results in exposure of fake usage.

The usage is sought to be conveyed as if the skies above open up or God or some super power appears before you! At the same time, if I were to explain "Wow, that's heart-stopping instead of amazing, I would be bombarded with strange and dirty looks!"

One can even add "sweet" to the list.  We are conversant with the usage "soooooo  sweeeeeeet", where I often sense fake.

We also come across some creative words , seldom located in a standard dictionary, like "fantabulous" , "splendiferous" to express "awesomeness".

I also have a problem with the words "actually" and "basically" which is employed by quite a few  in most sentences. There is nearly no reason to use these words on a religious regularity.  This reminds me of my college lecturer.   When he used the word "actually" 50 times in one lecture hour, the entire class clapped, much to the distress of the academic. If these two words are less used, it would be "awesome".

The ill-usage sometimes drives you nuts and also exhibits your limited vocabulary. Let's agree that  the usage of "amazing" and "awesome" is steadily losing its genuine meaning and power. The next time you crave for using "awesome" for something good, give another word a chance! Shall I end it that if I hear "amazing" again, I shall unleash my "awesome" power?

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