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Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize includes a lesson on apologies
By Lauren | October 12, 2009
Congratulations to President Obama for winning the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize! The pundits have already spent far too much time analyzing why he got it, what it means, and whether the award is really a none-too-subtle slap at the Bush Administration. Whatever the award committee’s motives, there’s a lesson here for those of us who care about mending fences.
It’s no secret that the Bush Administration’s policies didn’t play particularly well around the world. Some of the problem may have been simple semantics - was it really necessary to make cracks about “Old Europe” and “Freedom Fries” while stating President Bush’s determination to safeguard the American people? Whatever you thought about the Bush Administration’s policies, countries who thought they were our friends and allies took offense at the rhetoric, rightly or not.
What makes the Nobel award committee’s decision to give the 2009 Peace Prize to President Obama so interesting is that he has never actually apologized for the bad impression that the U.S.’s foreign policies created abroad. What he has done is clearly and repeatedly state his personal commitment to a different, more congenial approach to international relations. Simply put, President Obama has promised the world that we intend to do better going forward. For our allies, that apparently is enough.
My book, The Art of the Apology, sets out six essential elements of an effective apology. I still believe that all six are important, but the decision of the Nobel award committee demonstrates how important it is when making an apology to commit sincerely to doing better next time. Apparently, if it’s clear enough that you sincerely regret the past and are determined to make the future better, you may not actually have to say “I’m sorry” to be forgiven.
Topics: Apologies, Social Ethics, ethics |