This is a column about ghosting.

No, not the kind we’ve been seeing for the last couple of weeks.

It’s about another kind, even more prevalent, that happens throughout the year.

Defined, according to Merriam-Webster: Ghosting (noun) describes the phenomenon of leaving a relationship of some kind by abruptly ending all contact with the other person, and especially electronic contact, like texts, emails, and chats.

That phenomenon is most prevalent within romantic relationships, with scenarios similar to this: You start talking to someone and share some level of connection. Then, out of the blue, your messages aren’t being returned and the calls abruptly stop. Maybe even the person has un-added you from social media.

That form of ghosting has been commonplace in current dating culture, as have other applications of ghosting.

According to therapist.com, here are a couple of other common “ghosting” situations:

∫ You planned to go to lunch with a friend you haven’t seen in years, but, after spending a few days texting back and forth about a date and time, they stop responding.

∫ Your sister got married several years ago and moved away, but, when you try to reach out to plan a visit, she never replies.

I see that firsthand in a different kind of relationship — that of employer and employee.

I spend a lot of time in the hiring world, and have noticed something that has only picked up steam and that other employers have confirmed.

Here’s my scenario: I’ll have a job posted and will get applicants to said job. I call an applicant, and we have a good conversation. We discuss the job, discuss the pay, hours, and benefits. The person says they are genuinely interested.

The next step is an in-person meeting, which often is the final spot before hire.

We agree to meet up at 4:30. That time comes and goes and the person doesn’t show up.

Back to the proverbial hiring drawing board.

That has happened to me more times than you can count on two hands.

It’s somewhat baffling.

Of course, I totally understand if we discuss the conditions of the job and someone loses interest. When they learn more about a work opportunity, people either grow excited or lose interest from their initial reaction.

In the case of my ghosters, they were all individuals who showed keen interest.

With many, I have texted after the ghosting.

“Are you still interested in our position?,” I’ll ask.

Crickets.

It’s enough to make me scream bloody murder!

I’ve read about what is causing that type of behavior in our world, and my theories tend to match those of authors and professionals.

We are a society full of anxiety and we are fearful of letting people down. It’s easier to feign excitement and then “ghost” than to tell somebody why they aren’t interested.

People are more guarded, carry more trauma, and are more avoidant of uncomfortable situations. They are afraid of negative feedback.

There are also more practical reasons.

Have you tried to cancel a service on the phone or at a store recently? When dealing with the service sales world, customers come into an already dreaded situation with the intention of saying “No, I want to be done with this service.” Rather than abide, the representative is trained to deflect. To literally hear yes when the customer is saying no. On comes the mental fatigue.

That is why many people prefer to do business over the internet.

And I believe it contributes to our ghosting culture. When we put ourselves out there and honestly say, “No, thanks,” it can cue an aggressive and uncomfortable sales pitch.

I think ghosting is a reaction to the pressure-packed — and, let’s face it, selfish — world we live in.

I think it’s here to stay, and, as people continue to avoid discomfort, they will hurt, or at least bum out, people in their wake.

If you disagree with me, please don’t reach out to me in person. And I’d prefer if you didn’t call or email me, either. Maybe you could just comment on Facebook, or, better yet, just ghost me all together.

Alpena native Jeremy Speer is the publisher of The Courier in Findlay, Ohio, the Sandusky (Ohio) Register, The Advertiser-Tribune in Tiffin, Ohio, the Norwalk (Ohio) Reflector, and Review Times in Fostoria, Ohio. He can be reached at jeremyspeer@thecourier.com.