"Ghosting", what a term that really is. If you're in the age group of 18-24, you're most likely aware of what "ghosting" is. If you're not, let me quickly define it for you, well "ghosting" is the act of ignoring someone's calls and text messages to cut off a correspondence or brief relationship. As Urban Dictionary defines it, "When a person cuts off all communication with their friends or the person they're dating, with zero warning or notice beforehand. You'll mostly see them avoiding friend's phone calls, social media, and avoiding them in public."
"Ghosting" can be spoken in regards to an individual you've been dating, talking to, or briefly seeing. Honestly, we've all ghosted someone before, in the generation of millennials and gen z kiddos, it's almost normal to do. At times, it's a better alternative to ghost someone than to actually let them know how you truly feel.
As individuals, we're too scared to hurt anyone's feelings or be mean, sometimes you just don't want to approach a situation and avoid it at all costs. In reality, "ghosting" is an insensitive action to do, but it can be best, too. Obviously, "ghosting" someone can be easier than being "ghosted" but it has to be done.
In this particular day and age, individuals have so many resources and outlets to find someone of the same or opposite sex to speak to. It's easier to develop a connection with an individual online or on dating apps than meeting them in a coffee shop or public space. Our resources are immensely abundant, which can be bad, as well.
I'll be honest, I've been the "ghoster" and "ghostee" in several situations and being ghosted can be quite hard. I definitely hate being mean or brutally honest to people, so I'm great at avoiding the difficult situations in life and letting them fade out. There will never be the right words to let someone know you're not interested without being hurtful. Also, you never know how someone will take honesty, so that's where "ghosting" comes in.
We live in a society where people love to be quickly offended by almost everything, which can be a problem. I understand if you've been talking to an individual for months and all the sudden your connection goes dark. In that sort of situation, letting an individual know you're not interested is respectful. Someone may wonder what happened or what they did wrong, which expressing your thoughts is the mature thing to do. While if you've only spoken to someone for a week or two, "ghosting" doesn't hurt too bad. It's like a small sting that will fade away quickly, it may slightly hurt at the moment, but eventually, you'll forget about it.
Our communication is so abundant that ghosting will obviously happen at some point, so don't let that affect you. I'm not recommending you ghost someone and please be upfront about your feelings, even if they may be good or bad. It's hard to be ghosted, but there are over 7 billion people in the world, you'll find the right one, sometime, somehow.