Do dating apps sell us a fake fantasy that encourages stalking?

I can’t remember your name. You’re calling me the one?

Note: I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but someone isn’t ‘ghosting’ you if they stop replying to you after you texted for a few hours. Ghosting is when someone disappears totally and suddenly, without a reason, during a relationship or after sustained contact.

No one, male or female, owes you a reason not to continue talking to you if they’ve never even met or got to know you. In fact, I’d go as far to say it’s very normal for most conversations to peter out if there isn’t chemistry or serious interest on dating apps. You’re hurting yourself by taking it personally or escalating the situation in your head.

I’m really not that great. And you wouldn’t know me enough to say

Sure: if you spoke every day for a month, met their family, and you went on holiday together, and they’re suddenly not around, that’s obviously distressing and weird.

But if you’ve only been on one date, or only spoke a few times, and it just seemed to not really be going anywhere: no one is ghosting anyone if you just decide not to continue. Sure it’s politer to definitively shut something down, but that’s by no means essential if you just texted for a few days. Please stop applying ‘ghosting’ or wrongdoing onto the poor, normal people who honestly haven’t…