Sorry

Regret is what Johnny Howard said he felt for the stolen generations and other crimes against aborigines by the white fellas.

Except he didn’t feel it. Regret is a belief not an emotion. The only emotion Johnny felt was anger at being forced to say he had regret. And happiness that he wasn’t forced into offering an apology.

An ‘apology’ is a belief emanating from the super ego whereas a ‘sorry’ is an emotion coming from the id.

Kevin Rudd said sorry to the aborigines on behalf of all Australians but that too was false. ‘Sorry’ is a personal emotion and you can only say sorry on your own behalf. You don’t know how others truly feel.

Empathy is an emotion as well; it’s feeling how another is feeling. Whereas sympathy is the ‘belief’ analogue of this.

You could argue that Kevin was displaying empathy when he said sorry on behalf of all Australian. Wrong answer. He could only have sympathy when he apologised on behalf of all Australians.

And here’s why. Firstly, on this subject, empathy would be reserved for the victims. Secondly, empathy requires one-on-one interactions and Kevin hasn’t met all Australians. Thirdly, a good slab of Australians didn’t feel the need for an apology or a sorry. Fourthly, Kevin is so egocentric that he likely incapable of empathy.

Footnote: it’s just possible that the ‘sorry’ should come from the head of state rather than the PM since she supposedly represents us all, as well as the poms that did all the original damage. She could say sorry on her own behalf and apologize on everyone else’s.