There’s an odd blend of guilt and superstition that some people rely on to avoid real accountability. Instead of taking responsibility for their actions, they conjure up cosmic forces to explain why things aren’t going their way. It’s never about their own behavior and always about some mystical imbalance caused by the people they wronged being insufficiently forgiving. Suddenly, it’s not their mess to clean up; it’s yours. 

What starts with an Instagram story blaming a space rock going in reverse for their misfortune can end like a reversed 12-step program. Normally, the person seeking redemption has to put in the work to make amends. Here, they expect the person they hurt to be the one doing all the heavy lifting. You’re no longer just the victim of their mistakes—you’re now an active participant in their healing process. Their sins aren’t truly washed away unless you forgive them publicly, enthusiastically, and preferably while agreeing to whatever bizarre ritual they’ve dreamed up to restore balance to their universe.