Superlative Inflation

Really ?

I bought cat litter for my wife (actually, for my wife's cat Cheeto).

Extreme Cat Litter ?  Yea - that was the label on the box: "Extreme" cat litter.

I am using superlative as the adjective meaning "of the highest order."

However, it won't be long until the actual modification of the adjective occurs and we read descriptions of the "Extremest" cat litter. I know it isn't OED but I don't think the guy printing the cat litter box will give a damn.

Am I just a grumpy bastard for thinking "mighty fine cat litter" would be good enough ? Cheeto doesn't need to use the damn stuff while he's in the air at the X-Games BMX competition.

Drives home that writer's conference bit about "excessively florid language" in a new writer's novel now, doesn't it ?

Keep those florid and exaggerated descriptors low. Keep the cat litter setting to "mighty fine."  Save me from "extreme." Let it go.