Let’s face it, the world is rapidly transitioning from physical to online. With novel inventions such as food delivery apps, social media and online dating, pretty much any human need can be solved on the internet.
While these changes make our daily lives much more convenient, they have brought about some arguably negative effects. Online messaging has made it easier than ever to simply ignore someone you don’t particularly want to talk to. This is commonly known as “ghosting.”
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines ghosting as “the act or practice of abruptly cutting off all contact with someone (such as a former romantic partner) usually without explanation by no longer accepting or responding to phone calls, instant messages, etc.”
If you were to ask the average person, they would tell you that ghosting is an unacceptable thing to do. While I agree, I also feel that it’s more nuanced than that. In fact, I believe that there are some instances where ghosting is perfectly acceptable, and even beneficial.
Before you write me an angry email, hear me out. I’m not suggesting that people should ghost out of nowhere or without a good reason. I’m simply here to say that there are times when communication needs to be cut off for good.
If someone has done something to make you feel uncomfortable, it’s always a good idea to stand up for yourself by setting a boundary if you feel safe to do so. Take one of my experiences as an example. I matched with a guy on a dating app and our conversation was going smoothly. All of a sudden, he sent a very sexual message out of nowhere. I politely told him that I did not appreciate his inappropriate words; however, it didn’t stop. He continued to send more sexual messages.
At that point, I realized that he clearly wasn’t respecting my boundaries. There was no point in continuing to ask him to stop, he simply wouldn’t. Therefore, I ghosted him and haven’t received any messages since.
I bring up this incredibly uncomfortable story to say that you can absolutely cease further contact with someone who isn’t respecting your clearly stated boundaries. I would also suggest blocking and reporting them if necessary.
While we should avoid ghosting as much as we can and let people know why we will no longer be communicating with them in a polite way, cutting off contact is sometimes the best response at that moment.