Topic: Is it worth tracking down and apologizing to people I wronged many years ago?
Anonymous A started this discussion 3 years ago#107,387
I've been thinking a lot about my past behavior and I've decided I'm really not proud of a lot of things I've done, particularly when I was a teenager. Should I track down the people I've wronged and apologize? I have some reservations about the prospect, but I might just be grasping for excuses to take the easy route.
For one, I've recognized over the years that I have a tendency to greatly focus on the negatives about myself, and assume others do the same. It's possible my actions did not affect people the way I assumed, and it's possible and even likely that these people haven't even thought about me in many years. So it may seem weird to them to suddenly get a message out of the blue from someone they barely remember apologizing for some minor thing they had completely forgotten about. I also know that if someone contacted me about having wronged me as a teenager, my reaction would be something like, that's a weird thing to apologize for, we were kids and kids are idiots, don't sweat it. So if I (theoretically) grant that reprieve to others, wouldn't others likely feel the same way about my actions? Similarly, should one even feel responsible for things they did with the underdeveloped brain and very small worldview of a teenager?
What do you think, forum?
Anonymous C joined in and replied with this 3 years ago, 2 minutes later, 3 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,103
What types of things are you thinking of apologizing for. Examples?
Most likely this won't end well, or will be awkward at best. There's always a reason why people drift from our lives. No point in roping them back in without very good reason.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 3 years ago, 47 seconds later, 9 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,111
@1,206,103 (C)
Nothing too horrible. The biggest that comes to mind was when I was 12 or 13 and ditched my long time, then closest friend rather cruelly because he was very "unpopular" and got bullied a lot and I didn't want to be associated with him so I could make more "normal" friends.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 3 years ago, 1 minute later, 14 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,117
@previous (C)
15-16 years ago. We went to high school together and occasionally had interactions, but we mostly avoided each other. No idea what happened to him after high school.
Anonymous C replied with this 3 years ago, 4 minutes later, 18 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,120
@previous (A)
I'd say you probably shouldn't contact him. Not unless you knew him since like pre-K and were close friends until that point.
There's been too much time for your lives to have diverged beyond the point that any future contact would be meaningful. I think life can be kinda like a random walk like that.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 3 years ago, 8 minutes later, 27 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,131
@previous (C)
We had been best friends since we were 8. Which of course now as an adult 4-5 years doesn't feel like much time at all, but when you're 12 it feels like forever. At the time it really did feel like we had been friends basically our entire lives up until that point. It feels especially bad because I was his only real friend and when I ditched him, he had no one to turn to when he'd get bullied. Later on in high school he became friends with another similarly troubled kid who came from another school, but there were several years where he must have felt all alone because of me.
Anonymous E joined in and replied with this 3 years ago, 1 minute later, 30 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,136
Sometimes it's best to leave the past where it's at, in the past. No sense in digging up old past issues about some things most people have probably forgotten about.
I have done cruel things to people when I was 11 or 12, but I'm not digging up the past to apologize.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 3 years ago, 9 seconds later, 32 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,140
There's also a girl in high school who I casually sexually harassed for a couple years. She had a reputation for being a slut and my friends thought the things I would say to her were hilarious. At the time I did too, but looking back I definitely crossed some lines and I'm sure I made her far more uncomfortable than she let on.
> You have to treat your life like driving a car: never look back.
I've always felt similarly, but lately I've begun thinking that a lot of my problems in life stem from running away from things in my past instead of properly dealing with them.
Anonymous C replied with this 3 years ago, 54 seconds later, 36 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,147
@1,206,143 (A)
With almost complete certainty I can tell you that doing this will not fix any problems in your life. This stuff is all dead and buried.
Whatever is going on in your life here and now, maybe deal with that instead.
I said to my wife before Op made that post, that this was leading up to him confessing about how he hurt a woman in a sexual way. Then like two minutes later, he posted that
Anonymous C replied with this 3 years ago, 8 seconds later, 41 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,157
@1,206,153 (A)
Ignore her. She isn't going to be able to hold a conversation now that she's set off. And no, this isn't clairvoyance, it's just plain obvious.
Anonymous C replied with this 3 years ago, 20 seconds later, 45 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,170
@1,206,161 (Kook !!rcSrAtaAC)
Why are you getting so bent out of shape when you don't know what he said? Or how she took it. In terms of damage, his other friend that he mentioned first could've been more scarred. Not saying that's the case, but it's weird that you got so triggered on this one while knowing so little.
Anonymous B replied with this 3 years ago, 31 seconds later, 47 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,175
@1,206,171 (A)
Go read your own original post in this topic... you made an entire topic about tracking people down. Don't act like I put those words in your mouth
@1,206,170 (C)
Yes, as the person involved in both incidents, I can confidently say that my friend who I abandoned was far more hurt than the girl I made some off color jokes to.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 3 years ago, 0 seconds later, 54 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,207
@1,206,174 (Kook !!rcSrAtaAC)
If anything, the story about the girl is the benign one. The one with my friend I feel far more guilty about. I really like you kook but you're kind of being a cunt about this for no reason. Maybe I just exaggerated your intentions with the "sexual harm" remark.
@1,206,179 (Kook !!rcSrAtaAC)
It may be true that apologizing is a selfish way to feel better, but I'm not after any kind of communication. I don't want a conversation, I had in mind more like just dropping them a message on Facebook briefly apologizing and leaving it at that.
@1,206,182 (Kook !!rcSrAtaAC)
What do you mean? Just because I wronged someone else worse doesn't mean I didn't wrong her too. They both deserve apologies. It isn't just these two people either.
Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU joined in and replied with this 3 years ago, 20 seconds later, 55 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,214
@1,206,148 (Kook !!rcSrAtaAC)
Predicting that a minichan user sexually harassed a woman is basically like predicting the sun will rise in the morning tbh.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 3 years ago, 12 seconds later, 58 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,223
@1,206,210 (Kook !!rcSrAtaAC)
I didn't say it wasn't a big deal? I mean in the grand scheme of things it isn't a big deal, but it is something I regret. That's all this is about, things I did that I regret. It doesn't have to ruin someone's life for me to regret it.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 3 years ago, 1 minute later, 59 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,206,228
@1,206,217 (Kook !!rcSrAtaAC)
I do think you're right that contacting her would potentially cause more harm than it could potentially cause good. But what about my old friend, or other people I have wronged that is unrelated to sexual harassment?
Kook replied with this 3 years ago, 10 seconds later, 1 hour after the original post[^][v]#1,206,230
@1,206,223 (A)
You don't know that you didn't ruin her life. This is sexual harassment we're talking about. SEXUAL HARASSMENT. Repeat this. Tattoo it onto your thick scull. SEXUAL HARASSMENT.
Anonymous B replied with this 3 years ago, 25 seconds later, 1 hour after the original post[^][v]#1,206,238
OP/anonC should probably just stick to sucking slimy bikers' penises and keep that pretty head nice and empty so (s)he doesn't go out and start harassing people and begging their forgiveness for shit they aren't having a crisis over like OP is. Just stick to the dicks, you'll enjoy life better
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 3 years ago, 1 minute later, 1 hour after the original post[^][v]#1,206,240
@1,206,231 (Kook !!rcSrAtaAC) > But it's probably best to talk to a professional about these things instead
Do you mean instead of talking to minichan about it, or instead of contacting people from my past?
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 3 years ago, 5 seconds later, 1 hour after the original post[^][v]#1,206,244
@1,206,239 (Kook !!rcSrAtaAC)
Do you really think that is all anyone would ever get out of an apology like that? Honest question, not being a jerk. For example my old friend, would he not see it as "this person feels regret for having wronged me and wants to apologize" but instead as "this person wants to bring up old drama just to feel better about himself"? Is there no way to right old wrongs?
Anonymous A (OP) triple-posted this 3 years ago, 5 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^][v]#1,206,249
Well I regret making this thread. I guess Minichan is not meant for any meaningful discussion. It is for jokes about shitting on potatoes and feuds between old men and paranormal enthusiasts. I'll stay on topic from now on to not draw the ire of the fora.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 3 years ago, 1 minute later, 1 hour after the original post[^][v]#1,206,251
@previous (Kook !!rcSrAtaAC)
You know, that's really all you had to say instead of calling me a creep and acting like I did something far more horrible than I really did.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 3 years ago, 3 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^][v]#1,206,256
@previous (Kook !!rcSrAtaAC)
Truthfully I doubt I would have ever contacted anyone anyway. I guess I just wanted to vent. But yes, I would have taken what you said to heart because like I said earlier (before calling you a cunt, sorry about that) I do like you kook and I respect your opinions.
Anonymous A (OP) double-posted this 3 years ago, 3 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^][v]#1,206,261
I'm sorry I called you a cunt, kook. I know you're just going off of the vague information I provided. And I guess I do deserve to be called a creep for what I did,e ven if it was a long time ago.
> Well I regret making this thread. I guess Minichan is not meant for any meaningful discussion. It is for jokes about shitting on potatoes and feuds between old men and paranormal enthusiasts. I'll stay on topic from now on to not draw the ire of the fora.
I mean, that's all true, I guess, but don't let some old crone and her side-kick scare you off from making good topics.
If she gets to you, just put her on your ignore list, and/or just stop replying to her. None of this was even unexpected; I called this shitstorm 100+ posts ago. Just treat her like a crazy old, racist grandpa. She's okay unless the topic, god forbid, approaches anything resembling a discussion of women's issues.
Anonymous B replied with this 3 years ago, 1 hour later, 3 hours after the original post[^][v]#1,206,283
@previous (H)
You conveniently forgot to quote the parts where OP was the one who said they participated in sexually charged bullying in high-school, and then when Kook described that as harmful, OP freaked out and started crying that they never raped anyone... despite nobody having suggested that at all 🤔
literally right now is the first time i'm seeing this thread. i searched squeegee and -wow- y'all. idk wtf makes y'all think i've posted more than twice since like last September.
again, not me, hasn't been me, never was me.
and at this point - fuck y'all. wtf. eat a dick chumps.