--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He wished he could somehow go back and…" description: "\"“He wished he could somehow go back and find the iPhone people whom he'd jostled on the sidewalk earlier, apologize to them - I'm sorry, I've just real..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/emily-st-john-mandel-20783_apologize_he-wished-he-could-somehow-go-back-and-f_3201.jpg" --- # He wished he could somehow go back and find the iPhone… ![“He wished he could somehow go back and find the iPhone people whom he'd jostled on the sidewalk earlier, apologize to them - I'm sorry, I've just realized that I'm as minimally present in this world as you are, I had no right to judge -” quote by Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/emily-st-john-mandel-20783_apologize_he-wished-he-could-somehow-go-back-and-f_3201.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/emily-st-john-mandel-20783_apologize_he-wished-he-could-somehow-go-back-and-f_3201.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/emily-st-john-mandel-20783_apologize_he-wished-he-could-somehow-go-back-and-f_3201.jpg) > ““He wished he could somehow go back and find the iPhone people whom he'd jostled on the sidewalk earlier, apologize to them - I'm sorry, I've just realized that I'm as minimally present in this world as you are, I had no right to judge -”” [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A regretful recognition of personal insignificance and the impulse to amend past judgments. **In simple terms:** Self-awareness and humility Key Takeaway Apology restores dignity Themes humility self-reflection social responsibility empathy Mood reflective remorseful Type philosophical narrative When to use this quote - after a conflict - when realizing bias - in moments of introspection Key Concepts personal growth ethical behavior Practical Applications - personal reconciliation - public apology Questions to Reflect On - How does acknowledging one's limited impact change future actions? - What prevents people from apologizing when they recognize their fault? A Different Perspective None ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Judging people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging-people/) ## Related quotes > [I just realized that with the invention of the iPhone and others you now get to see the top of people's heads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-engvall/i-just-realized-that-with-the-invention-of-the-iphone-and-others-you/) [Bill Engvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-engvall/) > [I wish the iPhone people would design one that's black and has two pieces, and it plugs into the wall and you can pick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-wish-the-iphone-people-would-design-one-that-s-black-and-has-two/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [You know the beautiful thing: June 29, 2009, is the two- year anniversary of the first shipment of the iPhone. Not one of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcnamee/you-know-the-beautiful-thing-june-29-2009-is-the-two-year-anniversary/) [Roger McNamee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcnamee/) > [Always when judging Who people are, Remember to footnote The words "So far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/always-when-judging-who-people-are-remember-to-footnote-the-words-so/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Judging other people is such a natural and reflex phenomenon that even when somebody advises everybody not to judge anybody, actually he never realised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/judging-other-people-is-such-a-natural-and-reflex-phenomenon-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don’t make snap decisions, good or bad, about someone. Before forming an opinion, figure out what makes a person tick. Sam in Blackhorse Road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merida-johns/don-t-make-snap-decisions-good-or-bad-about-someone-before-forming-an/) Merida Johns > [“Never judge an eagle by the opinion of turkeys.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/never-judge-an-eagle-by-the-opinion-of-turkeys/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [Judging people is one of the greatest man sin. Remember, God made us, and it means you were also judging God and yourself too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/originals-aneeli/judging-people-is-one-of-the-greatest-man-sin-remember-god-made-us/) Originals Aneeli > [Judging people without knowing them is an open-invitation for negativity; and judging those whom you DO know still leaves the door unlocked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/judging-people-without-knowing-them-is-an-open-invitation-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Peter Blood judged her- as we are all prone to do- upon insufficient knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-sabatini/peter-blood-judged-her-as-we-are-all-prone-to-do-upon-insufficient/) [Rafael Sabatini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-sabatini/) > [How do you know when you have swag when you dont know what swag is and judging people to see if they have swag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-do-you-know-when-you-have-swag-when-you-dont-know-what-swag-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Perhaps we should worry less about judging people for being Mormon or Baptist or Muslim or gay or straight or black or white or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charity-sunshine-tillemann-dick/perhaps-we-should-worry-less-about-judging-people-for-being-mormon-or/) [Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charity-sunshine-tillemann-dick/) > [“The only measure of judging a human being is through that person’s character, because character is not determined by race, religion, gender or social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-only-measure-of-judging-a-human-being-is-through-that-person-s/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Stop judging people by their past and start looking at who they are now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajat-dogra/stop-judging-people-by-their-past-and-start-looking-at-who-they-are/) [Rajat Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajat-dogra/) > [You've got to quit judging people just because they have an 'R' or a 'D' in front of their name. We don't do that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markwayne-mullin/you-ve-got-to-quit-judging-people-just-because-they-have-an-r-or-a-d/) [Markwayne Mullin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markwayne-mullin/) ## More by Emily St. John Mandel > [“All those people,” Clark said to Imaginary Robert, but Imaginary Robert didn’t reply.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/all-those-people-clark-said-to-imaginary-robert-but-imaginary-robert/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“... every time someone dies you start counting how much time has passed since they've been gone. First you count it in minutes, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/every-time-someone-dies-you-start-counting-how-much-time-has-passed/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“I've been thinking lately about immortality. What it means to be remembered, what I want to be remembered for, certain questions concerning memory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/i-ve-been-thinking-lately-about-immortality-what-it-means-to-be/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“She slipped so easily into the folds of his life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/she-slipped-so-easily-into-the-folds-of-his-life/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [What I mean to say is, the more you remember, the more you’ve lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/what-i-mean-to-say-is-the-more-you-remember-the-more-you-ve-lost/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [There are certain qualities of light that blur the years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/there-are-certain-qualities-of-light-that-blur-the-years/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“All three caravans of the Travelling Symphony are labelled as such, THE TRAVELLING SYMPHONY lettered in white on both sides, but the lead caravan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/all-three-caravans-of-the-travelling-symphony-are-labelled-as-such/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“A fragment for my friend-- If your soul left this earth I would follow and find you Silent, my starship suspended in night”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/a-fragment-for-my-friend-if-your-soul-left-this-earth-i-would-follow/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [Hell is the absence of the people you long for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/hell-is-the-absence-of-the-people-you-long-for/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“You remembered.” “Of course,” Clark said. “That’s one thing I like about birthdays, they stay in one place. Same spot on the calendar, year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/you-remembered-of-course-clark-said-that-s-one-thing-i-like-about/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“Why did we always say we were going to shoot emails?” “I don’t know. I’ve wondered that too.” “Why couldn’t we just say we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/why-did-we-always-say-we-were-going-to-shoot-emails-i-don-t-know-i-ve/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“They’ve done what’s expected of them. They want to do something different but it’s impossible now, there’s a mortgage, kids, whatever, they’re trapped.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/they-ve-done-what-s-expected-of-them-they-want-to-do-something/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“Forever is the most dizzying word in the English language. The idea of staying in one place forever was like standing at the border…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/forever-is-the-most-dizzying-word-in-the-english-language-the-idea-of/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [No one ever thinks they’re awful, even people who really actually are. It’s some sort of survival mechanism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/no-one-ever-thinks-they-re-awful-even-people-who-really-actually-are/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“Michaela wasn't someone Lilia ever trusted, but there was a certain kinship; she shared Lilia's suspicion that the world might prove, in the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/michaela-wasn-t-someone-lilia-ever-trusted-but-there-was-a-certain/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) [Explore all 30 Emily St. John Mandel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) ## More Apologize quotes > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) Elizabeth Tambascio > [“Sorry I wish you could apologize to something you broke and it brings it back to what it was without losing its core I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rania-naim/sorry-i-wish-you-could-apologize-to-something-you-broke-and-it-brings/) Rania Naim > [I'm sorry I want to apologize for being careless and hurting your feelings. Please forgive me ! I'm a jerk your friendship means a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/i-m-sorry-i-want-to-apologize-for-being-careless-and-hurting-your/) Unkown > [A jerk will keep hurting you then apologize to keep you from leaving them, and then do it all over again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/a-jerk-will-keep-hurting-you-then-apologize-to-keep-you-from-leaving/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [To apologize for what you most wanted to do, to concede that it was obnoxious, boring, 'vulgar and unsafe' --- that was the worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hollinghurst/to-apologize-for-what-you-most-wanted-to-do-to-concede-that-it-was/) [Alan Hollinghurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hollinghurst/) > [To truly repent of a big thing, you have to go into it with your heart open and force yourself to deal with it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-wilkinson/to-truly-repent-of-a-big-thing-you-have-to-go-into-it-with-your-heart/) [Bruce Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-wilkinson/) > [I would like to publicly apologize to anyone I have NOT offended¦I will get to you shortly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-would-like-to-publicly-apologize-to-anyone-i-have-not-offended-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have a responsibility, and it's something that I did wrong, and if I could personally apologize to every single person that has lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-richie/i-have-a-responsibility-and-it-s-something-that-i-did-wrong-and-if-i/) [Nicole Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-richie/) > [To the millions of Americans whove attempted to use HealthCare.gov to shop and enroll in health-care coverage, I want to apologize to you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-tavenner/to-the-millions-of-americans-whove-attempted-to-use-healthcare-gov-to/) Marilyn Tavenner > [“When someone says that it's too late for apologize when you have to do it anyway because it's your duty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-teris-bit-ns/when-someone-says-that-it-s-too-late-for-apologize-when-you-have-to/) [Pēteris Bitāns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-teris-bit-ns/) > [Life is short so, kiss slowly, forgive quickly, and love deeply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney/life-is-short-so-kiss-slowly-forgive-quickly-and-love-deeply/) [Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney/) > [Life is too short to worry about stupid things. Have fun, fall in love, and regret nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/life-is-too-short-to-worry-about-stupid-things-have-fun-fall-in-love/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [I ain't never going to apologize for a 21-point win over a state rival, ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabo-swinney/i-ain-t-never-going-to-apologize-for-a-21-point-win-over-a-state/) [Dabo Swinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabo-swinney/) > [“It's clear he still feels something, but what? Is the whole reason he made such a big deal about wanting to talk to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-heywood/it-s-clear-he-still-feels-something-but-what-is-the-whole-reason-he/) [Carey Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-heywood/) Browse all 900 Apologize quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He wished he could somehow go back and find the iPhone people whom he'd jostled on the sidewalk earlier, apologize to them - I'm sorry, I've just realized that I'm as minimally present in this world as you are, I had no right to judge -”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emily St. John Mandel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/he-wished-he-could-somehow-go-back-and-find-the-iphone-people-whom-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Apologize" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/he-wished-he-could-somehow-go-back-and-find-the-iphone-people-whom-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/emily-st-john-mandel-20783_apologize_he-wished-he-could-somehow-go-back-and-f_3201.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/emily-st-john-mandel-20783_apologize_he-wished-he-could-somehow-go-back-and-f_3201.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/emily-st-john-mandel-20783_apologize_he-wished-he-could-somehow-go-back-and-f_3201.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He wished he could somehow go back and find the iPhone people whom he'd jostled on the sidewalk earlier…” — Emily St. John Mandel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Emily St. John Mandel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“He wished he could somehow go...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/he-wished-he-could-somehow-go-back-and-find-the-iphone-people-whom-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/he-wished-he-could-somehow-go-back-and-find-the-iphone-people-whom-he/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```