Posted by Dan Ewert : 4/16/2002 12:23:00 AM (Archive Link)
I often hear it said that you should have no regrets. True words. However, very misused. I’ve discovered that many people take this to mean that they shouldn’t regret anything they’ve done and will do. They shouldn’t feel guilt. This is absurd. If you feel no regret, guilt, or remorse for anything you’ve done, you’re little better than a goldfish. Guilt can be destructive, yes, but most often can be constructive. It allows you to mature, it allows you to empathize with others you've wronged, it allows you to recognize past mistakes and avoid them in the future. If you have no regrets about anything, then you have removed yourself from moral accountability. You should have no regrets, but this means that you shouldn’t do things that will cause you to have regret in the first place. If you do things right the first time, you won’t have remorse to worry about.