How to Accept an Apology
In case I haven’t been clear on this, I don’t consider Basic Instructions to be any sort of source of actual, usable, real-world advice.
One time, a young person I think very highly of told me that she had gotten useful advice from one of my comics. My stomach immediately clenched. I asked which comic. She said, “How to Apologize without Accepting Any Blame.”
I hoped she learned to deal with someone delivering a weaselly non-apology, but she told me that I had taught her the technique of seeming to apologize for something you don’t regret by telling the wronged party that you’re sorry they feel mistreated. She used this technique on someone she knew, and it worked.
I feel bad that I made this young person a worse human being. On the other hand, I suppose it’s nice to know that I’ve made a difference.