WHY do people not return emails or text messages? Has my reputation preceded me or what?

It's happening everywhere, I've noticed. The only people reacting normally right now are my Canadian friends

I think Americans, at some level, are in a state of shock and in denial. They are going through the motions of life but their brains are frozen

The world they have been living in is about to change profoundly, and they cannot accept this yet

yea, i noticed this with my cousin and some friends..

Better make that +2 or 3... so weird this has been mentioned as I've been expirencing the same phenomenon but thought I was alone in this observation. I swear so many different aspects of life are becoming stranger as the days go by...

I'm one of those people who are not returning emails and texts. I'm trying to disappear so to speak... without resorting to faking my own death.

why?

one of my friends hasn't picked up the phone for me in 4 months. though he talks to my sister...

others i talk to for a few minutes, but they turn reptilian and don't let me say what i want.

Yes, I think this is correct.
People know deep inside that death is not far off - they are merely blowing off life.

Yes. I notice people detaching in many ways. The don't look or talk to me look. Stay away look. Rude, unkind, spaced out. No reply. Let the machine get it.

WOW That is another thing!
When actually talking with someone, you can barely begin a sentence without being ignored, and talked over as if you were not even there. GOOD POINT!

They are screening your call. And in today's turbulent times you are way down the list of priority.

truth hurts

That may be - but, it seems people used to be able to take one second, and send a "no thanks" message - or "can't right now" message. What they are doing when ignoring someone, is burning a bridge to some degree - incentive for some kind of reply, is to possibly do business in the future or whatever, if when times change.
It might just be so bad, though...that everyone has given up. That's how it looks.

Yes.. This is why I always call everyone by thelephone! It is much faster and you dont have to wait for a reply!

Funny you start this thread because ive been noticing the same thing with some people i know..not going into details but yeah..pretty much as you describe it.

Hmmm How do I raise my priority level? What is the key?

yes i agree, what could not even take a minute to simply reply back.

Like the movie The Happening, maybe people are losing it for some external reason..

Or their just being self centered bitches and only reply when they need something from you.

yea could be that, or they get caught up in there day to day shit and maybe forget? or it could be something more going on ? it's weird that it seems like more people are realizing this. makes you question if something is going on and if it is triggering something on a subconscious level for certain people.

I really don't know,its just not something i myself would do,ignoring people you know for 10 years,its just not right imo,eventhough im busy,i never forget that someone is contacting me,and i always respond.Sometimes it seems like some people are getting more and more egocentric and always have to think that everything evolves around them,while neglecting their true friends and people who were always there for them.

self centered bitches is what they are for sure.
I'm wondering how they got there to such a disfunctional degree.
It may have something to do with online forums - easy to hit ignore online, so I do it in real life.

yes, i do agree. just maybe we project too much expectations onto others? but yes it's down right rude, or disrespectful, or inconsiderate to not take the time to respond back.

I think so..but its hard to say bye bye to someone you know for 10 years,only because im getting annoyed by the fact that im getting ignored.Maybe better to wait it out,and dont make contact with that person again untill he or she does it.

yes, that is the approach that i'm taking.

Taking it a step further, it seems people are dropping "best friends" like hot potatoes. It's like relationships have no value and are not worth preserving - even ones that are well established.

possibly one of the evils of online social networks? devalues relationships?

Exactly..and that is what bothering me so much,it really gets me angry when someone you know for such a long time just decides to not respond anymore,or when they do its short and awkward,cold,like they dont know you, while nothing really happend to act like that,i just wanna know why.