We're too apologetic

How many times in a day do you say, "I'm sorry"?  You interrupt someone, bump into someone, close a door too loud or heaven forbid,  DO SOMETHING TO UPSET SOMEONE.
I am beginning to believe we say "sorry" too much.  The word "sorry" has come to mean "I was bad".  Regret...ok.  Bad or wrong or I've upset you...NO.
Maybe it's the protector in me.  I don't want my son to have to say sorry.  I carefully watch over my sons "sorries".  Sometimes, he'll say it to me.  I'll tell him to take it back if I don't think it's appropriate. 
One of the most important lessons I try to teach Sterling is this:  You cannot control what other people think or do.  Therefore, there is no reason to lose sleep over it.  If you say something...and some person gets upset by that...you cannot control their emotions, you cannot control what they think.  So, if Sterling says something and someone gets upset by it...by making him say "sorry" am I enforcing the belief that he has done something wrong?  Am I telling him "do not upset people"?  

Yes, I am.

Tonight I was watching tv and Sterling was on Facebook.  His phone rang and he answered it.  There was a greeting, silence and then he said "i'm sorry".  Once the phone call was done, I asked who he was talking to.  When he hestated, I knew he had been talking to a girl.
I recognized the "I'm sorry".  Every guy knows the "I'm sorry" that came out of my sons mouth.  It's the "I know what I did made you mad...can I still get a little when you are through being pissed".
     Note:  Sterling isn't having sex with this girl.  At least, I hope not.  It is just a guy response that has been passed down from generation to generation.  We practice when we're young so when we are having sex, we can suck up to our partner. 
When I asked what he had done to warrant the "im sorry", he gave me a song and dance.  It was something about not paying attention to this friend of the girl he was talking to. Blah, blah blah.   I'm sure the issue was that the girl was pissed that Sterling wasn't paying enough attention to her.

I told him that I knew he was lying and that wasn't the point.  I asked if the girl he was apologizing to was harmed by his action.  The answer was no.  I then asked if he had done it out of spite.  The answer was no.  I asked him to rethink his apology and reminded him that he cannot make everyone happy.  It's impossible...I know...I've tried.  (also, part of me wanted to tell him to be an asshole to the girl, because we all know that chicks love asshole guys.)
   

Here is another example, that I witnessed, of when an apology is/was unnecessary.  A child was crying about whatever. The parent, tired of the crying, yells at the child louder than the child was crying.  A third person, a friend of the parent, later appologizes for the "scene".

Definition.
sor·ry (sr, sôr)
adj. sor·ri·er, sor·ri·est
1. Feeling or expressing sympathy, pity, or regret: I'm sorry I'm late.
2. Worthless or inferior; paltry: a sorry excuse.
3. Causing sorrow, grief, or misfortune; grievous: a sorry development.

[Middle English sori, from Old English srig, sad, from sr, sore.]

Why would the person appologize for the scene?  He had done nothing wrong.  It wasn't his fault the scene was caused.  I believe it was done because of a combination of reasons.  The biggest contributor would have been the person was embarrassed. 
Some people will argue that the person was appologizing because of the disruption that was made.  I saw the scene happen first hand.   No other person was around.  There was no disruption.  Something loud and disurptive happened.  No person was harmed.  It was out of guilt and embarrassment that the apology was given. 
 
So, perhaps the person should have said, "pardon my friend".
Definition:  pardon [ˈpɑːdən]

vb (tr)
to excuse or forgive (a person) for (an offence, mistake, etc.) to pardon someone to pardon a fault.

I believe people are too apologetic.  Say what you mean and mean what you say.  If it upsets somebody...so be it.  At least you have been true to yourself.  
Don't be afraid to take sides.