How To Apologize

Apologizing: a skill we could all use at some time or another. So when The Globe and Mail’s Dakshana Bascaramurty wrote a “how to” on apologies, she interviewed I Was Wrong author Nick Smith.

Nick Smith, an associate professor of philosophy at the University of New Hampshire and author of I Was Wrong, says the recent torrent of sex-scandal-related apologies from politicians has skewed our understanding of apology and forgiveness.

“If apologies signify something like moral transformation, that usually takes time,” he says. “You’ve done something wrong and oftentimes you think it’s right and then you’re immediately supposed to do an about-face and go through this grave repentance.”

The Back-handed Apology

What is it, you ask? It’s one of my personal favorites. It’s apologizing, but not really. In fact, it’s apologizing for someone else instead of for your own ridiculous behavior. “I’m sorry you feel that way.” (About my inability to hold a passing interest in our discussion) “I’m sorry that things just didn’t work out.” [...]

I’m Sorry. No You’re Not!

A great summary of some of my best argumentative skills. Nick Smith wants a better dialogue than this.  Flash Fiction reviews I Was Wrong, and gets right at the issues at hand. Alfred Kinsey’s work elevated the conversation about sex. Timothy Leary’s work elevated the conversation about drugs. Now, the philosopher Nick Smith gives us his thorough study [...]

Friday Round-Up

What a busy week indeed. Our authors are giving some valuable commentary on issues from all over the news. The allegations of polygamy and abuse by the FLDS in Eldorado, TX has thrust issues of child abuse and church-state relations into the spotlight. Marci Hamilton wrote about the FDLS two years ago in God vs. [...]

Weekly Link Round-up

Our authors include experts on just about everything. Here are a few snips and links from around the web. Are there more we haven’t caught? Send them our way: cupblog [dot] us [at] gmail [dot] com. Nat Hentoff of the Village Voice cites Colin Shindler, author of A History of Modern Israel in his latest [...]