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I Don’t Want an Apology if it’s Not Sincere
There’s no value in forcing adults to apologize for anything, even when they’re wrong
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Part of parenting is teaching your children to say please and thank you, and sometimes making them apologize for something they’ve done.
There’s a good chance those forced apologies were accompanied by shuffling feet, a bowed head, and total insincerity. But it’s a good lesson in taking responsibility that will likely lead to an understanding of the value of sincere apologies in adulthood.
These days, we’re seeing a lot of forced apologies, many of which would be better off left unsaid or unwritten. And then there’s the non-apology (“I’m sorry if you were offended/hurt/whatever …”), which is a total waste of everyone’s time.
When adults or organizations make a mistake, a sincere apology can be an important part of making the situation right. But a forced apology, especially one designed to humiliate the person who made the error, is useless.
I’ve lost count of the number of public figures in recent years who have been forced to apologize for a remark or an opinion in an effort to keep their jobs, sponsorships, fans or whatever. I’m sure some of those…
