My apologies for my recent boorishness

[Edwardo Piet]

I was only speaking of his past behavior. Maybe this thread is his first step in changing how he is. I was just saying that I haven't seen any recent change in behavior, I don't think he's recently been any more of an asshole than normally. And I am genuinely sorry for his troubles. I can compartmentalize all that stuff easily. Some will call me insensitive and and tactless for pointing that out . . . others will say it's one of my good qualities because I can be very forgiving and still be fully honest about what I'm displeased by, without lying or omitting the truth, all at the same time. Perhaps it's both. But I think I can easily condemn his past behavior and accept his apology, and feel bad for his current struggles, all sincerely and all simultaneously. Some would call that insensitive of me I think. But I think I don't understand the sensitivity that is being spoke of because I think that's more of a social nicety rather than being moral. If I'm not sensitive it's because I don't sense something, which is unintentional and part of who I am.

I'm more oblivious than callous. I think I'm doing the morally correct thing, and that is by definition morally correct if I really am correct in thinking that I indeed am doing the morally correct thing. And that thing is: I'm being both directly honest and open and forgiving all at the same time. I'm also incredibly modest. Which is a joke, but it doesn't matter anyway.

My morals are rather unorthodox. Many people would be shocked by what my moral views are, but I'm perpetually non-emotionally perplexed by the fact that so few people see it my way. Then again, I can't really see it anyone else's way. I think I'm a very compassionate person... and a very caring person. But I do not think I am empathetic at all. I don't really know how to put myself in someone else's shoes very much. This is a conclusion I have come to recently.

TL;DR: I think my responses are very justified. I agree with Boru that this guy has been an asshole, but at the same time I accept his apology, sympathize (although maybe not empathize) with his suffering, forgive him, and am glad that he at least seems to be showing remorse. And at the same time I am being honest about the fact that I hadn't seen any change in his behavior. At least up until this apology he has always seemed rather assholish to me. But what he has been up until now does not define who is now. There may be a strong correlation, and people may indeed be justified in being skeptical of his future behavior improving, but he may indeed be both genuinely remorseful and he may succeed in improving his behavior in the future.

I hope your life gets better shortly, OP. And the same to everyone else.