Wednesday, February 13, 2008

The pure joy of apologizing

I have noted that US liberals believe in apologies. Tim Blair analyzes Australian Prime Minister Rudd's apology for some of Australia's claimed wrongs against aborigines. Blair is concerned about the unintended consequences of the apology but also notes an interesting aspect of the apology phenomenon:
Sadly, the effect of the apology on those it’s aimed at is a secondary concern. This is more about smug white folks feeling nice about themselves. That’s why, despite it being an apology for allegedly terrible events, everybody is smiling.
The idea that apologies raise a liberal's self-esteem may seem peculiar but it appears consistent with the emphasis that liberals place on that emotion

Hat tip: Instapundit.

No comments:

Clicky Web Analytics