Contrite. And done right
Brunch|March 16, 2024
Sorry seems to be the hardest word. For those doing the apologising, at least. here's how to deal with a gesture that's less than sincere
Karishma Kuenzang
Contrite. And done right

If the apology comes with excuses or justifications, it undermines the apology itself. Adam Levine's, for hitting on another woman while his wife, Behati Prinsloo, was pregnant, clarified that it wasn't cheating. It felt insincere.

Being wronged is bad enough. Hearing a half-baked apology is worse. Why be the bigger person, when you can be the same dignified size? Experts offer help with responding to a non-apology, holding people accountable, and telling someone what they did was not actually OK.

This story is from the March 16, 2024 edition of Brunch.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the March 16, 2024 edition of Brunch.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BRUNCHView All
Hitting the wrong note
Brunch

Hitting the wrong note

Even hitmakers can have epic fails. Here are 10 bands that named themselves in haste, only to repent at leisure

time-read
3 mins  |
May 18, 2024
A walk to remember
Brunch

A walk to remember

As India celebrates 25 years of Fashion Week, here's your front-row seat to the first edition, in 2000. The models, the designs, the gossip, the backstage drama, and those after-parties!

time-read
5 mins  |
May 18, 2024
Before the tea gets cold
Brunch

Before the tea gets cold

Sudhir Patwardhan's paintings show a Mumbai that viewers may find familiar. But look closer. The details tell new tales, trigger universal questions

time-read
2 mins  |
May 18, 2024
Who's the third world now?
Brunch

Who's the third world now?

There was a time when Egypt or Lagos were considered lawless lands. Now one has to be on guard in London and Paris

time-read
2 mins  |
May 18, 2024
Spice routes and detours
Brunch

Spice routes and detours

More and more countries are discovering that packaged Indian spices are contaminated. Back home, they're so convenient and trusted, we didn't think to look closer. It's time to rework this recipe

time-read
3 mins  |
May 18, 2024
Murder, she rewrote
Brunch

Murder, she rewrote

What's better than a woman detective? A team of two. New shows and films are making the most of the partnership, giving crime drama and comedy an edge

time-read
2 mins  |
May 18, 2024
What broth this on?
Brunch

What broth this on?

Hopeless ramentic? Slurp up this guide and order the best bowl, every time

time-read
3 mins  |
May 18, 2024
Unconventional habits
Brunch

Unconventional habits

There's so much more to nuns and convent education than what shows up on screen. Why do the cliches persist?

time-read
2 mins  |
May 18, 2024
Photos or pulp fictions?
Brunch

Photos or pulp fictions?

Gauri Gill's portraits showcase ordinary folks, doing ordinary things, but wearing extraordinary masks. See why the quirky series offers more than what meets the eye

time-read
2 mins  |
May 04, 2024
Hear it from a reliable sauce
Brunch

Hear it from a reliable sauce

Kikkoman launched a dark soya sauce for the Indian market after realising that Indians expect Chinese and pan-Asian dishes to have a rich, dark colour. It mimics the taste profile of the flagship Kikkoman soya but has a different colour.

time-read
3 mins  |
May 04, 2024