Sorry, Sorry, Sorry: The Case for Good Apologies

⚡️ 10 Quotes from the book

“Apologies are evidence of a society that cares about itself, a society that honors other people’s experiences, thoughts, and feelings as precious. In tiny ways and larger ones, apologies move us toward justice.”

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“A good apology uplifts not just the recipient but everyone the recipient tells. When you read about a beautiful apology on Facebook or hear about one in the media, it’s almost as if you received the apology yourself. Good apologies have ripple effects. They make the world feel more humane.”

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“Apologies are about power, too: to apologize well is to give some of your power away.”

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“Apologizing for the feelings of others is not merely the province of the rich and powerful. It happens in otherwise delightful family homes all the time.”

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“Self-justification is a powerful drug. We didn’t do anything wrong, we tell ourselves. But if we did do something wrong, there are extenuating circumstances! We had to do it!”

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“Even more than the average celebrity or corporation, national governments are obsessed with their images. Governments are always looking in the mirror, wanting to be photographed from their good side, hiring highly paid teams to virtually massage and Photoshop everything possible.”

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“Accepting apologies is part of the process of making things right again. It’s what should usually happen. It’s a good thing to do, and it’s usually much easier than apologizing.”

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“You know the stereotype. You’ve heard it a million times. Women apologize too much. Women simply cannot stop apologizing. If you look at a woman sideways, she apologizes. If you drop an anvil on her, she says she’s sorry to the anvil. Don’t forget to lock your door at night, because otherwise an apologizing woman will tiptoe abjectly in.”

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“No one on this planet is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone needs to be allowed to fail, to get things wrong, to learn without being slammed and shamed for what they don’t know.”

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“In a world that desperately needs more kindness and respect, apologizing is a concrete way to provide those things. It’s what strong, good people do to build a strong, good world.”

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