Swedish author Fredrik Backman writes, “It is difficult to admit that one is wrong. Particularly when one has been wrong for a very long time.”
While we as a species really struggle with the act of contrition, some among us are less likely than others to admit fault and offer a real-deal apology.
Unsurprisingly, the signs least likely to apologize fall in the fixed modality. The stabilizing force of seasons, fixed signs hold on tight and sink their teeth in deep.
They have a hard time releasing their death grip on opinions, people, habits, power, and pride, making them the least likely of the lot to offer up an earnest, “My bad.”
The super-fun thing about this bunch is that not only do they really struggle with saying sorry, but they are equally prickly about receiving an apology. They deeply believe that accepting an apology is equivalent to excusing the injury incurred.
The general feeling is, “You might be sorry motherf—er, but you’ll never be sorry enough.”
¡Ay, Dios mío!
Because Mercury rules the realms of communication, exchange, soliloquies, and mea culpa, read for your sun, rising, and Mercury signs.
For funsies and in service of personal growth and relationship repair, check yourself and this list of the four types of ineffective apologies.
The beauty of Taurus is how unapologetically themselves they are — there is no pretense about what inspires their desire or ire. The underbelly of the bull is a relentless self-righteous streak.
They don’t call them bull-headed for nothing, folks.
As a fixed-earth sign, Taurus feels that issuing an apology is akin to losing ground or admitting defeat.
For evidence of the low-vibe mentality of the bull, see presidential Taurus Harry S. Truman, who urged, “Carry the battle to them. Don’t let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive and don’t ever apologize for anything.”
That dude had a Scorpio moon to boot, so the odds of him atoning were always going to edge on zero, even when it came to propagating a nuclear holocaust.
The very same sun/moon combo can be found in Bono, who in a full-bull move made it so his band’s album was automatically and nonconsensually downloaded to EVERY. ITUNES. LIBRARY.
His non-apology is equally reflective of his double-fixed energy, “Might have gotten carried away with ourselves,” he said during a 2014 Facebook chat about the iTunes album drop. “Artists are prone to that thing.” Translation: Sorry for being myself except NOT REALLY.
An apology requires a certain degree of self-reflection and a shot glass full of humility, and Leos do not f–k with the humble. Big cats bring big energy, and Leos often act without considering how their behavior will affect others.
At their worst, Leos maintain a dismissive air of regality that renders them immune to wrongdoing and excused from apology.
See the PR creed of the British royal family: “Never complain, never explain.”
Leos view atonement as an affront to their self-hood, as their beliefs and behaviors are inextricable from who they are, thus, seeking a sorry is tantamount to asking them to minimize themselves.
NEVER. GOING. TO. HAPPEN. FOLKS. And if you attempt to undermine them, they will deem you just another hater in their constellation of naysayers.
For an apex example of an unrepentant lion queen, see Madonna, who has consistently refused to apologize for who she is, what she wants, the music she’s made, the work she’s had done, or her ardent hate for hydrangeas.
Rulers of the basement realm of secrets and transformation, Scorpios are well-versed in psychological manipulation and adept at inverting blame, gaslighting the offended party, deflecting culpability, and/or creating a scenario in which they make the person seeking an apology feel like they owe them one.
It’s masterful, it’s diabolical, and it makes the brains of their enemies ache and the power boner of the Scorpio surge.
Your best bet when dancing with this danger is to refuse to submit to this shadow play — they might never forgive or concede, but they will respect you.
Evidence of unrepentant scorpions include Winona “I’m shoplifting as research” Ryder and Kathy Griffin, who refused to apologize for simulating a sex act on co-host Anderson Cooper during CNN’s live New Year’s Eve special heading into 2013.
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience. She is also an accomplished writer who has profiled a variety of artists and performers, as well as extensively chronicled her experiences while traveling. Among the many intriguing topics she has tackled are cemetery etiquette, her love for dive bars, a “girl’s guide” to strip clubs, and the “weirdest” foods available abroad.
