I’m learning about two communication patterns – dry begging and soft ghosting. They reveal a great deal about the choices we make in living our lives – the games we participate in, the strategies and tactics we employ.

Dry begging is the act of soliciting assistance, favors, resources, and sometimes gifts indirectly, without explicitly asking for what one wants upfront.

Soft ghosting occurs when someone gradually reduces their engagement in a relationship without explicitly ending contact, taking longer to respond, giving shorter replies, sending emojis, or becoming emotionally distant, while still maintaining minimal interaction. For example, responding with ‘Crazy busy  ;^))’  instead of their usual detailed messages, when they previously wrote paragraphs.

Both can be subtle forms of manipulation and coercion that allow the person to get what they want, making it seem like it’s your idea. Some people are professional dry beggars and soft ghosters.

I’m not celebrating manipulation in any way. People may engage in these behaviors unconsciously due to social anxiety, conflict avoidance, or poor communication skills – not always deliberate manipulation.

Both dry begging and soft-ghosting share several characteristics:

They avoid direct, honest communication,

They place the burden on the other person to interpret unclear signals.

They maintain plausible deniability, such as “I wasn’t ignoring you, I missed your message.”

They can be emotionally controlling by creating anxiety or confusion in the recipient.

Dry begging can be about health, work, family, personal relationships, or financial struggles, emphasizing their difficulties to prompt you to offer a solution. Some circumstances might be genuine hardships, so please be kind and use your compassion and gut instincts when connecting. “Money is tight. I probably can’t pay the rent this month.”

I’m no expert in this field, but here are some suggestions on how to handle these activities effectively:

Set clear boundaries.

Maintain direct communication.

Be truthful.

Be direct: “It sounds like a tough situation. Why are you telling me this? What exactly are you asking me for?”

Remember, responding or not is your choice. Yes or no are perfect answers, and you do not need to provide detailed explanations for your choice.

People sure are interesting.

Thanks – Michael (he, him)

Please share this Daily.
This is also key – Goodwill is a Choice.

#2003