THOUGHTS

Instead of Asking People to Stop Saying “I’m Sorry”, Try This

There’s an under apology pandemic

Broni Glez
RESONATES
Published in
4 min readJul 10, 2021

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Image credited to pch-vector from Freepik

Saying sorry = Being weak. This is the message that’s been circulating for years, especially in the workplace. Tim Denning even dares to say there’s an apology pandemic.

But, what if I’d tell you it’s the exact opposite? People should say sorry more often. And we should stop bashing other people (and ourselves!) for trying to express how we feel.

It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s Piece of Advice

There’s an obsession for homogenizing the way we communicate. But the trend it’s clear: We want people to communicate more bluntly. More manly.

Apologizing too much is a sign of weakness. Saying “actually”, “just” or “does it makes sense?” is too girly.

However, traits more commonly associated with masculinity seem to be more accepted. I don’t know how many articles I’ve read about why I should stop saying sorry. But I don’t see so many about why you should stop interrupting your colleagues in meetings or expecting that everything is ready for you on demand.

Sorry (Still) Seems to Be the Hardest Word

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Broni Glez
RESONATES

(She/her) Top writer or one-hit wonder? I like venting and confessing things. I take myself too seriously or not at all. Editor of The Bathroom Confessions