/day 3 - 220 -- Ignoring or Ignorant?

Why do people feel it is OK to ignore someone else? Someone who asks a simple question with no pressure -- someone who cares about another's well-being -- should not be dismissed as a bother. Receiving a silent treatment can be hurtful. Is it truly so difficult to even use monosyllabic responses? Leaving someone hanging seems an odd way to deal with an issue -- very passive aggressive or a type of weaponized silence. It is obvious that there is something going on in the mind of the ignorer. What are they trying to deal with? Are they ignoring their own feelings as well as those of others?

I have no answers to these questions. I have been on the receiving end of stark silence. I've often felt there is darkness involved on the other side of the conversation. It takes courage for anyone to keep the lines open for when the other person is ready to even just say "hello." It might appear easy to just walk away -- and there are situations where this may need to occur for self preservation. But in some relationships, that isn't an option.  I've often felt that I just needed to be there for whenever. That doesn't mean that there aren't moments when I've wished the individuals involved were there to assist me, but feeling ignored is one thing and letting that fester into anger or hatred wouldn't do me any good either. Perhaps the other person is being silent to preserve their own integrity so ignoring not being ignorant or rude. Just another aspect of human communication that I don't fully understand. <smile> I do know that I dislike confrontation and often fail to let others know the difficulty their silence plays in my daily (and nightly) life. <sigh>

All sorts of song lines fit today's musings, but trying to find one with more overall understanding than anger was a challenge. I settled on one with advice for all parties involved in communication interruptions or breakdowns. I've chosen a video with lyrics included -- tastefully small and not obscuring the rest of the video. I did this as it seemed to be a period when this singer/songwriter was immersed in Dylan-esque pronunciation and phrasing <smile>. Enjoy!

Beware of Darkness -- George Harrison