Warning: extreme usage ahead

I suppose that one gets to be President and COO of a software company by having particularly strong marketing skills. So it shouldn’t be too surprising that John Robb would go overboard in describing the legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He calls it “horrific.” This is an excellent example of the impact of extreme marketing on everyday writing.

I say, what is horrific about the legacy of American use of nukes in Japan? And I mean the legacy, not the initial use, which would be a completely different debate. From my vantage point, the legacy has been mostly positive. People really understand the devastating nature of these weapons and accordingly none have been used since. (Yes, there were a sizable number of people who contracted and died from related cancers and their individual suffering should not go unacknowledged. But how many more people, soldiers and civilians, would have died if the Allies chose a land assualt on Japan instead?)

I suppose John has read Gonzo Marketing but still needs to internalize some of the lessons. Leave out the abstract hype and stick to the facts. Note that I have nothing against John personally, never having met or spoken with him, but this kind of language usage really pushes one of my buttons.

Update: John changed the wording to say that the act of dropping nukes itself was horrific. Way to go John!