"existential"

[James A. Landau <JJJRLandau@netscape.com>]

Is it my imagination, or has the word "existential" been reduced to a meaningless intensifier in news reports?

Some examples, culled from Google News:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/ambroseevans-pritchard/100022145/comrade-barroso-the-existential-threat-to-the-euro-is-mass-unemployment/
(headline) "Comrade Barroso, the existential threat to the euro is mass unemployment"

http://washingtonexaminer.com/barney-frank-terrorism-is-not-an-existential-threat-to-america/article/2517933
(headline) "Barney Frank: Terrorism is not an ‘existential threat’ to America"

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-existential-value-of-twitter-other-web-giants-2013-01-08
(headline) "The existential value of Twitter, other Web giants"

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-01-03/facebook-profit-shows-existential-risk-for-social-network-tech
(headline) "Facebook Profit Shows Existential Risk for Social Network"

   - Jim Landau

PS only in New Jersey: a bumper sticker that reads "My Governor Can Eat Your Governor"

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