The unprecedented use of the term unprecedented in the current crisis is terrifying
‘An unprecedented crisis‘ said Hank Paulson. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13590.html
‘American economy is facing unprecedented challenges‘ added a concerned George W. Bush http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,425261,00.html
“The Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Paulson, will be granted unprecedented authority in the financial bailout plan” http://www.lockergnome.com/forsythe/2008/09/29/unprecedented-authority-granted-to-henry-paulson/
In a series of moves culminating overnight, Washington took an unprecedented step into the financial sector in a bid to steady an ailing housing market and ease a global credit crunch, analysts said. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24310593-20142,00.html
Tuesday, Paulson is spearheading an unprecedented global change as the Bush administration point man for the proposed $700 billion bailout of the U.S. financial industry as the economy reels from the credit crisis sparked by the national real estate slump and spiraling mortgage failure rates. http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2008-09-22-paulson-treasury_N.htm
But the $700bn (€480bn, £380bn) bail-out marks an unprecedented test of both the Democratic and Republican leadership in Congress, who are seeking to pass a proposal that they know will be unpopular among voters in an important election year and is opposed for ideological reasons by factions within both political parties. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2c86b58a-89a4-11dd-8371-0000779fd18c.html
Bush: ‘unprecedented challenges‘ call for ‘unprecedented action‘ http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fpposted/archive/2008/09/19/bush-unprecedented-challenges-call-for-unprecedented-action.aspx
Why terrifying?
Because after all these exciting ‘unprecedented firsts‘ everything will be ‘precedented seconds’ or, in other words, bland.
Meanwhile, while things are still interesting, have you placed your bets on September Madness?

Unprecedented. what a great word. I expect that the marketeers will start using this word more often.
Just like “Total” and “Redefining”.
Somehow related post, showing how reusing terms leads to erosion of the term’s value. http://blog.imperva.com/2008/08/can-we-learn-from-mcafees-late.html
Sharon
30 Sep 08 at 11:00 pm