[quote=Dervish]
Even if a relationship's already destroyed, and there's no chance of salvation, apologies are never meaningless, even if the other person isn't receptive. Sometimes, you have to be brave enough to face the consequences, admit you're wrong, and move on. Either that person accepts the apology or does not, either way, what's said is said and sometimes things improve, other times they don't. It's better to know to move on, y'know?
[/quote]

I didn't say it was meaningless; just that it isn't always the best option. Sometimes, the "sorry" will hurt you both a lot more; either because of certain complex emotions, or simply because it brings the painful past back up again. I suppose I've come to subscribe myself to an overarching principle of happiness - the best path to take is the one that brings you both peace/happiness/whatever. That supercedes the principle of honesty, or of facing the consequences, or whatever. Sometimes it's better to let things lie, rather than pulling up painful past issues to apologise. There are events in my past that I was terribly hurt by, and I really don't want the person who hurt me coming to me and saying sorry, explaining why they're sorry, or just generally reaggravating old wounds. And though I can't speak for those people, I imagine it's the same vice-versa. It's in the past now; we're beyond it.

EDIT: In essence, I'm saying that apologies aren't always the only, or even the best, way for you and others involved to move past something.