A Fun and Nostalgic Look at the History of the Word "Rad"

In this episode, Travis reads Aaron Gilbreath’s essay, "A Brief History of the Word Rad," which takes a fun and nostalgic look at the history of the word "rad," exploring its roots in skateboarding and pop culture and its enduring presence in American vernacular. Some of the cult classic films mentioned include the BMX flick "Rad," and the skateboarding movies "Gleaming the Cube" and "Thrashin'." The essay also explores other popular expressions and slang terms from the 80s (and prior) that emerge from subcultures and evolve into cultural icons. As Aaron points out many of them are not only cringey now, but have no relevance whatsoever. Why some words die out and others maintain lasting power is an interesting phenomenon that the essay also explores.Checkout Aaron Gilbreath's website:https://aarongilbreath.com/In this episode:Origins of the word 'rad' in Southern California skate cultureThe influence of 1980s slang and Valley Speak on popular cultureThe linguistic evolution and cultural significance of 'rad'The role of skateboarding pioneers like the Z-Boys in shaping slangThe cyclical nature of slang and cultural artifacts