I'm Not Wrong...But I Am Sorry...

I think what you did was extremely mature and I hope your cousin reciprocated in kind. It is not necessary to have an emotional argument over an intellectual debate. I am glad you came to the realization you did and hope you will be able to avoid such situations in the future by using that ability to disagree and ending your part of the discussion before it escalates into an argument.

Keep it up!

I'm very opinionated, although I'm willing to change my views if someone can convince me with good arguments. I've agreed to disagree a LOT! My best girlfriend and I, for example, have agreed to disagree on abortion--she's for it and I'm against it. Neither of us can change the others' opinion so we rarely talk about it and when we do we understand that we won't get angry.

I don't mind apologizing, either. It doesn't hurt anything and saves relationships. I think you did the right thing!

Boy...have I ever. But, somehow to me, when I was in those arguments with an ex (or someone else), they would refuse to say, "I'm sorry." For me to aruge with you, I would most definately know that I'm in the right simply because I hate to be wrong...cover my hiney.

In regaurds to appologizing even if you're not right, when my ex would do it, it sounded...so condencending. "I'm -sorry- you feel that I hurt you." That almost sounds like, "You're full of*BEEP* but hey, if it makes you feel better, I'll say 'sorry.'" See what I mean?

As a mother, I do say I'm sorry but I use the same method as above only because I need to let that child know I'm hearing what he's saying and understanding his plight.

People are self centered, it's a known fact.

*Pleiades

Yeah, I think most of us have been there and had to be the
one to step up and offer an apology, not for the opinion but
in the way we handled the argument. It amazes me how some
people can handle their difference in opinions without ever
raising their voice or sounding mad. I applaud them for having
this control. Not many of us can do that especially when we
have someone in our face screaming at us.
After awhile, I just say enough is enough and I have to walk away.
As we get older we seem to learn to control ourselves better and
look for facts to uphold our opinions.

Wishing you the best
Kowgirl

I've been there and after I have thought of a dozen ways to slice and dice the person
I have eaten the crow and apologized for my immature handling of the situation, it still took a long time for us to feel at ease with each other. That was in my younger days when i had that much energy to spend.

Yes I have been in that kind of situation before.Even though I thought I was right I apologized.I was sick over the argument as it was with a family member.I was very hurt but I felt that I should apologize for my part even though I was never apologized to.

twoey68,

I think that's what "turning the other cheek" is all about. I've been in many situations like that. If voices were raised or somethng was said that had nothing to do with the argument in the first place I will apologize, but I will not apologize for what I believed to be the point of the argument.

DCMerkle

Yes, I have not apologized for my view but for fighting. I will say, "I am sorry, I hate fighting and I should not have talked to you in such a manner." I will not apologize for my way of thinking.

If I handle the situation badly I can admit that. However if I am not the person in the wrong I have a very difficult time saying I'm sorry first. I usually wait for the other person to say sorry if I feel they were in the wrong. Yes I am very stubborn but I can respect that not all people think the same.

On very very few things!