It's overused and played out folks. You got corny motherfuckers like Justin Bieber using it now. Lets just retire the word all together.
Funny you mentioned that. On NPR, there was an interview on which words should get the Death Penalty and words like swag and awesome are most picked.
Disagreed. Don't EVER compare swag to awesome EVER again. EVER! Awesome hasn't lost it's touch IMHO. Swag has.
The word itself is outdated, silly and should disappear along with the other trendy words of that time. It's still silly surfer language and quite frankly, hardly anyone (save Zuckerburg) would ever use it in a professional environment. Even when not in a professional environment, there are far more suitable words to express deep interest or expression of excitement than something outdated and downright annoying as "awesome" or even "swag". Now if we can get rid of "nigga" as a term of endearment, we're pretty much well on our way to someplace a bit more...pleasant.
Per the professional environment.. while not necessarily used in written format as often, it is still expressed verbally by bosses, or co-workers in relation to performances, demonstrations, ideas, products and so forth. In general, it's part of the American vernacular and has been for several decades. Swag however is relatively 'new' and will not last. Just two totally different words. Wait, can I still say "totally"??
Maybe in Silicon Valley, sure...but in the rest of the country? I have yet heard anyone use that degrading word in a professional environment. I've heard words used such as excellent, superb, well done, and the like to convey an expression of accomplishment and what have you, but all in all, those words I've mentioned are better suited (universally) in such atmospheres. Awesome just happens to have survived out of luck of the lingo. But slowly, it's been decaying even further. Better substitutes for greater accomplishments. Eventually, such a word would be looked back upon as ridiculous as using swag. But, people would be marveled by how it stood its usage.