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> the impression that the person sending form letter extension review responses is in a position in Mozilla to be able to do any of the shit you just said apologizes represent.

Yeah, that’s fair.

> Rote apologies are not apologies, they’re simply someone saying what they believe are the right polite words for a situation.

I agree. And rereading the email I also agree that their apology was lacklustre to say the least. Initially that seemed to be to have come from a position of authority, but I see I was wrong.

My only disagreement is that I do think there is some apology that would be valid. Something like a personalised email (not from a form) from someone with a modicum of power (e.g. the manager of the add-ons division).

Note, however, I’m not saying a valid apology must be accepted.




> Something like a personalised email (not from a form) from someone with a modicum of power (e.g. the manager of the add-ons division).

Okay… but I still get the feeling you’re talking about a non-apology here. No matter how hard they work to craft the right words, unless that manager does something differently they’re just being manipulative in addition to the original wrong they’re pretending to apologize for.

I know I’m not being maximally charitable here, but look how far you’ve strayed from “If the literal string ‘we apologize’ isn’t it, what is?”


> but look how far you’ve strayed from “If the literal string ‘we apologize’ isn’t it, what is?”

Wasn’t it clear that I changed my mind through the conversation? That’s the point for me, my goal isn’t to pick a position and claim I’m right to the end, but to learn and improve my views. Like I said:

> I agree. And rereading the email I also agree that their apology was lacklustre to say the least. Initially that seemed to be to have come from a position of authority, but I see I was wrong.

If the literal strings “I agree” and “I was wrong” don’t convey that I agree with your points and I think I was wrong, what does?

To be absolutely clear, I’m being tongue-in-cheek. I have no desire to continue this.

And to be even clearer, what I offered as a suggestion was a response to you saying there was “nothing” they could do. That’s the one part I disagree with by the end.


> what I offered as a suggestion was a response to you saying there was “nothing”

There was an if clause separating different circumstances into “nothing” and “almost anything”.

And I stand by that. If an apology is actually meant it becomes trivial to come up with the words to apologize.

Laboring over the process of apologizing is a good sign you’re trying to avoid actually apologizing.




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