Member-only story
The One Word You Need to Avoid Saying If You Don’t Want to Annoy Everyone
Sorry seems to be the hardest word, but also one of the most irritating
Some people need to apologise but don’t. But forcing them to apologise is futile. An apology is only worth anything if it’s sincere.
Then there are socially anxious people who apologise all the time. They are so terrified of getting on anyone’s bad side that they apologise for everything and anything. It’s like they’re apologising for having the audacity to be alive at the same time as you.
Many years ago, I had a friend like this. At first, it didn’t bother me too much. But the longer I was friends with him, the more irritating it became. It reached the point where every other sentence contained the word “sorry”. He was constantly fishing for reassurance.
Over time, this gets very draining. It’s like you have to prop up their self-esteem constantly.
Another example is a neighbour of mine. But he’s worse because he overuses “thank you” as well. For example, if he needs a favour, he goes overboard with the “sorry to bother you”. But afterwards, there’s far too much “I can’t thank you enough.” It all gets a bit wearing.
