Op-Ed: Public Apologies

by Amanda Paul
edited by Abbie Tumbleson

Public apologies seem to be the hot topic of 2010. From Tiger Woods’ multiple apologies to the media to Akio Toyoda’s formal, written apology to a congressional panel. The two events may seem similar, as shown by the media, but do the apologies match in seriousness?

Tiger Woods cheated on his wife with at least fourteen women. He went to a rehabilitation center in Arizona for his addiction and has apologized publicly, including to his two-year-old daughter’s pre-school.

Akio Toyoda next to Toyota automobile (photo:www.dailymail.co.uk)

Meanwhile, Toyota Motor Corp has experienced malfunctions with their vehicles. Five deaths have been related to electronic throttle problems and twenty nine more deaths are being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Administration. Toyota is now hosting a recall of 8.5 million vehicles worldwide.

Both apologies from the two parties have been heavily televised by the media. While the Tiger Woods scandal is entertaining, Tiger Woods did not cheat on me. He didn’t cause me to be thrust into the public. He did these things to his family and that’s where his apology should stay—in his family.

With Toyota Motor Corp., the vehicles’ problems cost lives. Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corp, apologized to the families of the victims of the errors of the vehicles, as well he should. The mechanical problems not only affected the families of lives lost, but every owner of a Toyota vehicle, a large group of people.

The media should take a look at what ranks in seriousness. Though Tiger Woods’ journey through rehabilitation might be entertaining, a greater apology is to be recognized. Toyota’s mistake has cost lives. Should these two problems been shown with the same severity in the media? No. The solution would be for the media and the public to rethink their definition of importance.