Ignoring people

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I have a tendency to tune people out, especially my mother

A mild understatement, if ever I heard one.

It's considered extremely hostile - or at best, very strange not to acknowledge someone who's spoken to you.

I try not to ignore people, but when they start talking about something I'd rather not listen to, I'll sit there and nod until they're done talking. Usually while doing this, I've mentally zoned-out and if they remind me later about whatever it was they told me, I won't remember even having the conversation. I do tend to tune people out, albeit unintentionally, especially family members.

Sometimes I am so deeply lost in thought I shut out the world. Sometimes I am accused of ignoring, but I do not intend to.

If someone has spoken to me, I would never ignore them. I was thinking more along the lines of walking down the hall at work and encountering someone I barely knew. If I could get away with saying or doing nothing, I would.

I have somewhat developed a system of ignoring strangers, particularly males.

I always wear big, dark sunglasses, big headphones that cover my ears (whether they are playing music or not!), and I always appear to be reading a book or a newspaper. And I also wear an engagement ring (with my left ring finger always positioned so that the ring is easily visible).

No one can tell where I'm looking with my sunglasses on. Nobody can tell if I can hear with my headphones on. And it's rude to bother someone who is reading (or at lease appears to be!) And what guy would dare approach a woman who is obviously in a committed relationship?

Of course, I am very aware of my surroundings at all times. My system has worked very well so far.
I used to get three or four people trying to make conversation with me every day before I started using my system. Now nobody bothers me!

Last edited by CleverKitten on 23 Sep 2008, 11:23 am, edited 1 time in total.

I often pretend I haven't noticed them, if it's feasible. If I'm forewarned we might meet somebody then I'm usually fine. It's the shock that I hate. I'm also very "couply" - i.e. two's company, three's a crowd. It's too complicated with three.


I find family members hard to come to terms with. Didn't exactly help when one of my partner's relatives went ape and tried to physically attack her Some of them I think I behave fine with, though I can't say I ever really look forward to meeting them. It all makes me feel very guilty, but I just can't feel that sense of "duty to make the effort" somehow, which seems a ludicrously invasive concept.

You don't do yourself any favours by ignoring people. There's no telling how many opportunities you'll miss by doing that. You might, in fact, miss your Reason For Being by not talking to that one guy or girl.

Last edited by slowmutant on 24 Sep 2008, 8:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I've already found my "Reason For Being," and he's all I need to talk to.

I tend to ignore people when I pass them in the street. I just don't know how to act in this situation. It's too unexpected. I don't even know if they WANT me to greet them, so I wait until they greet me first.

Something I noticed though, is that if I'm not the first to greet them, then they ignore me, too, most of the time, and then pull me up on it the next day by saying something like "I saw you yesterday" or "Why didn't you say hey?" which I find very strange, because technically, didn't we BOTH ignore each other? I don't see why people put all the blame on me, when they made no effort to say hi either, especially when they know about my social phobia.

And who is that, if you don't mind my asking?

I tend to ignore just about everyone. I just want to get through the day. Its hard enough without having to talk to people i dont want to.

Oh, I don't mind you asking at all.
He is my fiance, of course.

I usually ignore alot of people!! I would rather not make small talk

I get paid to pay attention to people (just one at a time, thank goodness..., and it's in small doses...

Lately I've stopped talking in the middle of a conversation when I feel I'm not getting anything pleasurable out of it.

I hope I can learn to appreciate interactions more.