Let’s take a quick look at what awe…isn’t.
Shifted-consciousness-mouth-agape-life-altering-wonderment vs. good pizza – the meaning of awesome in modern-day vernacular has been muted. When we use “awesome” interchangeably with “yes,” “thank you,” and “good,” we lose the true meaning of the word.
| Not Awesome | Awesome |
| “Pick you up at 8?” “Awesome, see you then.” | A gorilla communicating to you in sign language |
| “Here’s the paper you asked for.” “Awesome.” | Riding a boat under Niagara Falls |
| “How’s your burger?” “Awesome.” | Nadia Comaneci scoring the first perfect 10 in the uneven bars at the 1976 Olympics |
I mean…maybe it is a life changing burger that makes you feel insignificant and wholly connected to the universe, but chances are, your burger would be more aptly described as “delicious.”
Overusing and misusing the word does not take away from the effect when faced with true awe, but it can contribute to the consistent misunderstanding around this powerful and often overlooked emotion.
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