Lets say you do something reckless, and it hurts me in some way. Without an apology, how can I tell you have genuine remorse? That you regret what you did, and

Lets say you do something reckless, and it hurts me in some way. Without an apology, how can I tell you have genuine remorse? That you regret what you did, and want to avoid it in the future? That you are committed to fix the damage you've done? For all I know, you don't care about me, you don't want to change, and you don't plan on fixing your mistakes. I have no reason to trust you, and every reason to oppose you. An apology convinces me that you're not a threat - just a person who made a mistake. It also reminds yourself that you are capable of mistakes, and that you must not succumb to hubris. Of course, it shouldn't be an empty apology. For it to work, the feeling must be genuine, and it should be accompanied by action.