Though shalt not ghost

I am both a communications person and someone interested in what is happening in the world. And I'm also a person who (not proudly may I add) has occasionally moved on from abruptly from friendships, and been sadly pushed away (okay, read: once has been ghosted) in a very meaningful romantic relationship.

So, of course, I felt compelled to write a short post to highlight this powerful piece by Jonathan Li, political journalist and commentator who’s written for the Guardian and the Washington Post among others.

The title itself is bold: “Thou shalt not ghost” is offered as an eleventh commandment fit for the delete/block/cancel culture we live in. Li explores the multiple layers of this modern disappearing act and in particular how the current economy helped shape our interactions:

“There is a relentless consumer capitalism to ghosting. It lays bare the extent and speed with which we commodify and abandon human connections. Ghosting is not unique to modern life, but app culture facilitates its dehumanisation: with the block or delete button, a person already reduced to a screen thumbnail can be erased altogether.”

Later he adds how the current “calling out” culture could help:

“It’s time to normalise the art of confronting bad behaviour. This, after all, is the era of not standing for shit. The age of challenging bullies, standing up for ourselves, speaking our mind: the age of self-empowerment.”

Not just worth a read, but worth passing along. Read the full article here.