When Did Ignoring People Become Acceptable?

When Did Ignoring People Become Acceptable?

There was a time when not replying to someone was considered rude.

Today, it has a name, a label, and apparently a level of social acceptance… Ghosting.

Originally a term borrowed from dating culture, it has crept into every corner of modern life, personal, professional, and increasingly, business. And I’ll be honest, it’s becoming one of my biggest frustrations.

This isn’t about unanswered cold outreach or spam emails. That’s understandable.

This is about people you know. People you’ve worked with. People who engage in conversation, show interest, ask questions … and then simply vanish.

I’ve had situations where I’ve offered something genuinely useful, even free, to business contacts. Silence.

Clients in the middle of paying an invoice hit a small transfer issue… then go quiet.

Prospects who actively request information disappear mid-conversation.

And professional contacts who reply enthusiastically one week stop responding entirely the next.

No explanation.

No “I’ll come back to you.”

No “this isn’t the right time.”

Just… gone.

So what’s really going on?

Is It Bad Manners -  Or Something Else?

At face value, yes, ghosting looks like bad manners.But I don’t think it’s always intentional rudeness. In many cases, I think it’s decision paralysis.

People are overwhelmed. Inboxes are full. Notifications never stop. Making a decision, even a small one, suddenly feels like effort. So instead of replying “yes,” “no,” or “not now,” people do nothing. And doing nothing becomes the default response. Silence feels easier than clarity.

There’s also avoidance at play. Saying “no” feels uncomfortable. Saying “I can’t afford this” feels awkward. Admitting “I’ve changed my mind” feels confrontational. So people avoid the moment entirely and hope it just… fades away.

Ironically, ghosting creates far more discomfort than a simple, honest reply ever would.

When Did ‘Ghosting’ Become a Thing?

The term itself started gaining traction in the early 2010s, largely through online dating culture. Once messaging became instant and disposable, disappearing without explanation became easier … and disturbingly normal.

What’s worrying is how quickly this behaviour has been normalised in business.

We now live in a world where professionalism is often replaced by convenience. Courtesy is optional. Accountability is blurred. And because there’s rarely an immediate consequence for not replying, people assume it’s acceptable. It shouldn’t be.

The Business Cost of Ghosting

Ghosting isn’t harmless.

It wastes time.

It erodes trust.

It damages relationships.

And in business, it creates inefficiency on both sides. The person being ghosted is left chasing, second-guessing, or writing things off entirely. The person doing the ghosting quietly burns bridges they may one day need.

As Winston Churchill once said:

“Short words are best, and the old words when short are best of all.”

A simple reply works. Always has.

A Simple Standard We Could All Apply

Not every message needs a long response.

But almost every message deserves a response.

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Not right now.”

“Can we revisit this later?”

That’s it.

Ghosting isn’t a trend to embrace. It’s a habit to unlearn.

Because if we want better communication, better business, and better relationships, it starts with something very basic … acknowledging the other person exists.

And that, last time I checked, isn’t too much to ask.