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Ghost Of A Generation
Millennials are ghosting friendships, romantic relationships, and all other ships straight into the digital Bermuda Triangle
Halloween is just around the corner, but ghosts are year-round now. Unlike the children veiled in spooky sheets, yelling “BOO” and festively chomping down on Snickers for one day, these ones are real, and they are among us. In fact, for younger generations, these days they are most of us.
“Ghosting” is a word that refers to the now-common phenomenon of disappearing from a relationship without a trace. There’s no confrontation, no closure, often no communication at all. It can be a romantic relationship, a platonic relationship, even a familial relationship. Any kind of ship is fair game for these hungry ghosts.
At the risk of sounding like one of those people who says “The problem with this generation is [insert gripe about technology],” the problem with this generation is very much related to technology. Parents and “experts” of all kinds have been fearing the long-term social consequences of technological oversaturation in kids’ lives, and for good reason.
I am a Millennial, and I grew up on the cusp of having all the wonders of the Internet — not with iPads and Facetime, but with sufficient Neopets and chatrooms. I can’t…