The Magic of "SORRY"

Is "SORRY" the universe' emotional SHAM-WOW? Does it really have the ability to absorb 20 times it's weight in emotional waste?

Why do people believe the uttering "SORRY" is like some magic eraser, that erases what just happened and all is better. "Well I said I was sorry, what more do you want me to say."

How did this two syllable word get all this power?
When did it become a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser?

Let's take a look at the definition...
sor⋅ry  /ˈsɒri, ˈsɔri/
–adjective, -ri⋅er, -ri⋅est.
1. feeling regret, compunction, sympathy, pity, etc.:

Okay.. so now lets apply this definition to an example.

EXAMPLE..

Lucy has just spilled a 2 liter bottle of PEPSI on my carpet.. and says SORRY.
Has saying sorry changed anything? Did the PEPSI suddenly get erased right out of my carpet..NO

The definition says that she feels regret for spilling it...or has sympathy or pity. Well great, but can someone please help me understand how her regret/sympathy/pity helps my carpet.

So in this example what did saying "SORRY" accomplish......Not Much. It didn't clean up the mess or prevent a stain, the only thing that "sorry" accomplished was making Lucy feel better about being an a klutz.

So "sorry" isn't said aloud to make the other person feel better about what happened, it is uttered to somehow absolve the user of any wrong doing. Since the feelings of regret/sympathy/pity are personal, how is the other person helped by you saying "sorry"

It seems to be used like a religious or superstitious counter curse, like knocking on wood or saying 10 Our Fathers. The ultimate protection spell, by saying "sorry" after every idiotic thing we do, we have somehow protected ourselves from moral bankruptcy.

After an argument we say I'm Sorry... the I'm makes it all about you and not the person you injured, and "sorry" = regret. Do you really regret that things you said during an argument. Why say them if you didn't mean them, weren't you really thinking them anyway, and the anger help you express your real feelings.

I think that it is one of the most over used words in the English language, right up there with LOVE. We love pizza, We love ice cream, we love bondage etc.. We say "sorry" after cutting someone off, bumping into to someone and after we have called our friend a bitch..."sorry" and for all the "sorry" we say what does it really accomplish?

So instead of standing over the spilt PEPSI saying sorry, trying uttering oh shit and getting a fucking towel and help clean it up...Actions speak louder than words.