For example:
"i like taking advantage of people. i hate being sober. #sorrynotsorry"
The above is sadly a real tweet. Besides the fact that the person sounds like a complete and utter idiot (teehee! I'm such a drunk! Young and evil! YOLO! lol) It makes me want to backhand them...hard.
Me, after backhanding some idiots.
Why? Because knowing how to give a real, sincere apology is important, and I'm starting to think people don't know how to do it anymore.
No one is perfect, but it is thoroughly unpleasant to realize that someone can be incapable of admitting they were wrong, or apologizing when they are. Nothing turns me off quite so sharply as opinions being presented as facts, or a refusal to consider that you might be wrong.
We've become a world of I’m sorry, but . . .which is the most insincere, bullshitty, strings-attached, "but I really AM right" way to apologize. Same goes for I'm sorry you feel that way, which is pretty much saying "it sucks that your feelings are so wrong!" Neither of these are legitimate, genuine apologies. What happened to accepting responsibility for failure as well as success? Or understanding that we're not always going to be right?
I'm trying to make a conscious move towards apologizing more freely, and not being a stubborn jackass, which is something I have the unfortunate tendency to do. This doesn't mean I'm turning into one of those doormat girls who says "sorry" like a knee-jerk reflex (because that doesn't do any good either) but to be more gracious about admitting that I frequently don't know the answer.
So, what's a good apology?
"I'm sorry I was late doing that thing you asked me to do."
The end. Don't punctuate with excuses. Simply admit you didn't do it when you were supposed to. If you really feel the need to say something else, I'd suggest trying something along the lines of "I'm sorry I didn't do that thing you asked me to do. I don't know where my brain has been this week. I'll take care of it right now." That way you acknowledge that you've done wrong, and you'll rectify the situation as soon as possible. Boom. Done.
And if you're not sorry? DON'T SAY YOU ARE if you don't mean it! If you're not sorry, you need to have a discussion as to why not. Just don't be a dick about it. And honestly? It's OK to be wrong. Humility is a very sexy quality that doesn't go unnoticed by good people.
