I'd say the selection below from among those I took from the OED more reflects Neocon's 'take,' and mine.
an expression of respect
that which is owing to anyone
a thing due
a payment due and enforced by .... custom
action due in the way of moral ... obligation
that which one ought to do
Sometimes an apology is imo due. It is a signal of disrespect not to give it, in some circumstances, imo. Custom enforces it as a duty (in that sense), imo. If one might be said to have a 'moral' obligation to remedy the distress one's behavior (like the lateness of our friends to the restaurant) has inflicted on others, an apology is due payment, if a figurative one, imo. There are times when one ought to apologize, if one is not a animal of the field, but part of the social contract, imo.
But as I said, one will choose among the available definitions the one that yields the result one feels comfortable with.
In your case, you have described a special category of 'duty," which applies to professional responsibilities and public health concerns. It's not invalid, but is narrow and imo unwarrantedly selective among common definitions, given that this isn't a profession or public health forum, but is just folks, chatting about the duties life entails.
In life, sometimes one ought to apologize, imo. And imo everyone should teach their children that. It's important, imo. |
