> We want writing to be transparent, clear, and easy to read. Need I say more than the above quote to convince someone that the “figurative use of literally” s

> We want writing to be transparent, clear, and easy to read. Need I say more than the above quote to convince someone that the “figurative use of literally” should be avoided? I’d say the same of any other auto-antonym. Language is a tool to communicate our meaning. When we use words that obscure our meaning, it ceases to serve its purpose. Yes, I understand it is hyperbolic. Yes, I understand it has been used in this way for a long time. The reason that the author of this video has words like “very”, “ridiculous”, and “fabulous” to complain about is because nobody was a stickler about those words long ago, and they’ve now lost their meaning. Yet somehow, rather than encouraging people to use words to mean what they mean, he decides that since it’s happened before, we ought to accept it happening again. I don’t know why he would ever decide that is the rational decision.