General Conference and a Pet Peeve

Over the weekend I realized an almost paradoxical feeling I get during conference. Conference has the unique ability to make Saturday to feel more like Sunday and Sunday feel, less like the Sabbath. I found myself hesitant to buy something at the store after conference on Saturday, and I felt more like I came out of a devotional after Sunday conference and less like I was just in a formal Sunday meeting. anyways....

To my pet peeve. I recently caught myself apologizing for actions I was about to take, this is highly hypocritical for me. I have been very outspoken about this practice, and it has always struck me as odd that people apologize for something they're about to do. You often hear an apology for a joke they are about to tell, or before the expression of the way they feel about something, "I'm Sorry about watching this it's just so funny." I feel like an apology that precedes an action its empty at best. If you really really felt remorse for the thing you were about to do you wouldn't do it. And often following the preemptive apology, these people have the nerve to thank you for being so tolerant of their misdeeds in yet another attempt to buffer possible criticism.

In conclusion, I call for an end to empty preemptive, pre-action, apologies, used to save face, and absolve the actor of any blame.