3 Reasons Nice People Can Ignore Others Online

Summary

The article discusses why it's acceptable for kind-hearted individuals to sometimes ignore online interactions, particularly when overwhelmed or dealing with people who are overly attached, exploitative, or trolling.

Abstract

In the digital age, where communication is constant and accessible, even the most empathetic individuals may need to disengage from online interactions to maintain their well-being. The article outlines three scenarios where it's justifiable for people, especially those who are naturally inclined to help others, to ignore messages or comments: when individuals become too dependent, when someone is attempting to take advantage of their kindness, and when dealing with internet trolls. The author emphasizes that prioritizing one's energy and personal life is crucial, and not responding does not equate to being uncaring or rude. The article reassures readers that it's okay to set boundaries and not feel compelled to engage with every online interaction, especially when facing personal challenges or when the interactions are not constructive or genuine.

Opinions

It is important for individuals, even those who are naturally supportive, to recognize when they are being overly relied upon and to set boundaries.
People should be cautious of those who attempt to exploit their kindness for personal gain, such as asking for help under the guise of collaboration but actually seeking free labor or content.
Engaging with trolls can be counterproductive and may escalate negative interactions, so it's often better to ignore them.
Not responding to every message or comment is not a sign of rudeness; it can be a necessary act of self-preservation and prioritization.
The expectation to always be available and responsive online can be overwhelming, and individuals should not feel guilty for taking time to focus on their own lives.
Genuine connections, such as those with family or close friends, are likely to be more understanding and patient when one

3 Reasons Nice People Can Ignore Others Online

Is it okay to ignore someone?

In the online world, it is easy for people to contact and text each other, whether that be through Facebook or WhatsApp or a comment on a Tweet, a LinkedIn post, or a Facebook post. Nice people, those who like to engage with others in a civil and uplifting way, who like to try to understand and work with others, may feel overwhelmed sometimes.

It’s times like these when they may like to by-pass a Comment or a response on Facebook, Twitter, Medium, or any other online source. To be more productive, you have to spend your energy on your priorities.

Lightworkers, who want to help others as much as possible, are human too.

If you love to support others but at times you feel overwhelmed by what’s going on in the world and/or at times you just have to spend a lot of energy on your own personal life, then don’t give energy to the following.

People who become too attached to you. The caveat here is that you should not imagine this when it doesn’t exist. Don’t confuse your wanting to help someone with their insisting that you help them. It should be clear if someone is attached to or dependent upon you. If they are always or often asking for help or for your advice, and this spills over into sharing their personal health or life and expecting you to help them, they may be relying upon you as a source of help when it is not your obligation to help.

People who try to take advantage of you. It irks me when someone contacts me online asking me if I want my content to get more exposure, and I find that they just want money. For example, someone may ask you to be a founder of their new platform or a content creator for it. You do some research to find that they don’t pay you at all or pay next to nothing. They ask for a fee and say more readers will get to know you. But this may not be true.

People who are trolls. If someone is jealous of you in some way or simply doesn’t like or agree with something you write, they may comment or respond in a nasty way or rudely.

Stop! If you have little energy because Life has been full-on for you, then it’s okay for you not to respond to comments or messages as above.

Sure, if you are “happy as Larry” and full of beans and want to interact, then do so in a polite and constructive fashion. Be aware that if you respond to a “true troll” you may just pour fuel onto the fire. In other words, she or he may retaliate with additional material or try to point out some finer points they would like to make.

Being an interactive and civil person, you may feel that you should respond in some way to, say, a LinkedIn message asking you to join their new platform and to re-publish your Medium stories there. It may go through your head shouldn’t I just reply with “No thank you.” Well, you can. But not responding at all does not mean that you are a monster with two heads.

It means you really are not interested! Your imagination may paint a picture of the sender of the message fretting unhappily over why on earth you aren’t replying. Things like “Oh no, maybe I’ve ruined their week” or similar may flash through your mind. But understand that if their message is un-solicited, that you have the right not to respond.

Nobody likes to be ignored perhaps, but the effect depends upon who is being ignored and why. If a family member or close friend wants to tell you something that requires your attention, they will probably do that privately or face-to-face. Chances are that you won’t ignore them because they won’t be in any of the 3 categories above.

With a casual acquaintance, such as a Facebook “friend”, if they are ignored they may think you don’t have time to respond (which is true). If they think you are being mean or horrible, well then, they can sort that out with you (i.e. ask you if you are). Furthermore, if the person does think that you’re being unsupportive, that means they don’t know you well enough to claim that!

So there you have it. There are just those days when you’ve got enough on your plate that you can’t respond to everything unless you are “super-woman” or “super-man”. And it’s okay to ignore some things online. Those being ignored will get over it or if they really need your help when you can give it, they will wait.

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