not acts of contrition we perform for genuine transgressions, but the unnecessary apologies we make for things that couldn't possibly be our fault

rites of self-mortification

self-deprecation

self-reflexive misogyny

using it as punctuation

reflexive expressions of empathy

ritual apology in the workplace--attaching a disclaimer to everything said

reflexive apologies freight our contributions-at work, at home, anywhere-with the subconscious message that these are not eh fruit of our hard labor and native intelligence but random buckshot from loose cannons. with each apology we negate ourselves/ideas -unworthy and insignificant