Parlor Spider...Step In, Little Fly

Insightful thoughts and/or rants from atop the soapbox from one who wishes to share the "right" opinion with everyone.

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Getting It Off Your Chest





"Everybody's sorry about something."

Maybe it's due to the fact that there is more media attention these days: too many reporters and not enough news...too many photographers and too little beauty left that has not been photographed. Whatever it is, more and more of "us" have been caught with our pants down, so to speak (though some literally). As a result, the latest fashion seems to be the public apology. You know the drill: "I'm sorry for my indiscretions and the hurt I caused my family. We ask for privacy in this time so we can rebuild our relationships...yada, yada, yada." It's a daily occurrence in news media everywhere. If it's not a White House reporter apologizing for telling Jews to go back to Germany or Poland, it's the president asking amends for wanting to "kick somebody's ass" for the oil spill in the Gulf. Tiger Woods. Jesse James? old news already there are a LOT more in line to submit to a personal admission of frailty. Me? I understand that Americans are very forgiving, but seriously, do we ALL need to be able to express that sorrow for misdeeds long past which have bothered us ever since? It would seem so.
The latest issue of a national publication lists three internet sites on which anyone can post a most sincere apology for wrongs committed either in the past or recently! Seriously? I'm going to go to the internet and write a groveling paragraph about what a jerk I was and beg forgiveness from someone from the past? Seriously? Apparently, though, many do.

Traffic on three sites has gone up 66% in three years, according to Allan Fallow, writing in AARP Magazine. What's more, the number of apologies from folks over 55 has gone up 172% in that time and continues to rise. Apparently, Boomers have a good deal to be sorry for what with having lived through the 60s and all.
Out of curiosity, I visited thepublicapology.com to check it out. the site eases my concerns when it posts the following: " You'll feel less bad about your own deeds" when you read the apologies on this site...and there are hundreds, if not thousands to read. Visitors can even vote for the best (heartfelt, outrageous) apology of the week in addition to clearing their own consciences by posting a mea culpa of their own. Of course, there are rules:
Nobody is allowed to use his or her entire name...first name, initials or descriptions only. Posts which contain ethnic, racial or any other kind of slurs will be removed, and those who post must attest that they are truly the individual posting and not just writing one for someone else...which took my idea of posting one for van der Sloot. Anyway, the site allows no commercial messages or spam...just smarmy apologies.
Other sites include imsorry.com (on which you can order "I'm sorry" bracelets" as something of a pre-emptive measure, knowing you'll screw up eventually...better get a bunch!) and perfectapology.com, and I would suspect there are even more sites available for you to post and rid yourself of guilt.
Me? I'm going to die with my sins and hope everyone is in a forgiving mood later.
Sorry.

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