I'm Sorry At Gunpoint

It seems like there are more apologies than ever before if my observations are to be relied on. People aren't doing more bad things, unless we're accounting for a burgeoning world population in recent centuries, but they do now seem to be more aware of being in the wrong. It's at least partly that and partly that they care more about the consequences of how people feel. That would all be fine if it weren't for the timing of it all. No one is ever sorry before they have to be. I was reading about a fashion designer who let his anti-Semitism show- twice- under the influence. He was fired in short order, and do you wonder at how quickly he became contrite?

Mind you, this is separate from the new theatrical form which rivals Kabuki in its symbolism, subtlety and many complicated layers, the public apology press conference. I could go on and on about that, and probably will in future if I haven't already. No, I just find it uncanny how hearts and minds change with just a little gentle prodding in the form of threats to one's livelihood. The fashion designer might have remained a bigot the rest of his life, but just after being ruined professionally he was so very sorry and enlightened!

As incredible and miraculous as the aforementioned turn of events would seem to have been, I will venture to suggest that one thing would have made it all the more amazing. Hear me out now. What if he had become sorry before it served his interest in trying to recover his job to do so? It easily could have happened that way. Actually, if we're indulging our imaginations, what if he had been aware in advance of his offending comments that he would be sorry after? I bet that in that scenario he would not have said them at all. Realistically, the decision under contemplation would have to be getting drunk and not what he did or said after that, but it's still intriguing.

Since I'm on the subject, I want to say that at this moment there is nothing for which I feel I ought to be sorry. That's not to say that if something objectionable which I have said or done gets uncovered and starts impacting me in a practical sense I won't become sorry. I will try in that case to make sure I get sorry while it's still possible for that to do any good. I owe everyone and myself most of all that much at least. It's all academic of course, because I haven't done anything to be sorry for- please believe me.