You see that is the mindset behind the refusal to apologize. The person is unable to control what he says but feels no need to do so since what he says needs to be said because he has never been wrong about anything. The problem isn't him. The problem is the people who don't agree with him. Therefore it is his mission to make then understand and he cannot stop trying to do that . There is no one more determined to convince you of the rightness of his/her view than the indignant/self-righteous/warrior who feels misunderstood/maligned/dismissed. He cannot stop. He cannot help it. He is powerless. He is not in control.
In my case I'd do it to make peace or to mend hurt feelings, but then I'm a compulsive apologizer. The last thing on earth I want to do is hurt or offend someone...UNLESS they whine incessantly about being offended or insist on belligerence even after I've tried to make peace. That's when their asses get to live in my metaphorical gun site. :-)
NOW...If you're talking about aspirants for the presidency, apologies are against the rules. You can apologize for what a former president or presidents did, but you must NEVER apologize for something YOU did. All presidents are error-free.
Yes m'dear. I have come to realize that. I think that means you are a KIND person. I know. That's a dangerous thing to be these days. It could cause blowback from those who don't trust kind people. I appreciate them, admire them and try to use them for a role model. Thank you for your thoughtful answer Nim! :)
Apology is always interpreted as weakness. Weak people are unfit to lead. So politicians never do it.
Unfortunately the English language is very ambiguous about apology. Many languages have separate words to differentiate clearly between different types of apology. You can clearly express sympathy for someone's emotional distress without admitting fault and while still asserting that your policy is right.
If there were a way to clearly express this in English in a way that couldn't be twisted by political opponents, we would see more apology in politics. Unfortunately there isn't. So politicians have no choice but to just stick to their guns, which can seem cold.
"The problem isn't him. The problem is the people who don't agree with him."
Everyone thinks like that. You think like that. Did it ever occur to you that YOU are the problem and if you would just realise that you are wrong everything would be better? No, of course not.
I don't agree with you on anything Rosie. Though there is only one thing you do that makes me mad. You expect your enemy to lay down and die.
I don't expect you to lay down and die. I expect to you fight for what you believe in. I'll shame you for a lot of things, though not for fighting back.
