Hello! I'm Right Here!

Walking through the Union, I happened to pass someone I knew. We have had a few classes together, but he isn't what I would call a "good friend". Still, I didn't want to be impolite, so as I passed I gave him a smile and started to say "Hi," but he just completely ignored me.

It's something that happens quite frequently. We pass people we know, but they turn their heads the other way and pretend like we aren't there. The act itself of being ignored can be hurtful. But why do people pretend not to know certain people? An article by Mark Dykeman on Broadcasting Brain.com explains some reasoning behind the rude act.

He says that when people are traveling, they often are intent on a single goal and can't focus on who they are passing. A person who is late to an appointment may ignore his or her surroundings because he or she is so focused on getting to the destination. Also, some people may be focused on other, more, er, "biological needs", such as going to the bathroom or feeling sick.

Dykeman adds that the reason a person may ignore another is because, simply, he or she has bad eye-sight or has a hard time remembering faces. No one is perfect, and people have their flaws. It could be possible that a man walks by another without acknowledging because he just doesn't know who he is actually passing. It's an easy mistake, and it's the reason we most often make up in our minds once we are ignored.

Of course, Dykeman doesn't forget to take the good with the bad and mentions some not-so-flattering explanations for being ignored. He says maybe, to another, you are a source of anger, sadness or pain. Even worse, you could be a source of embarrassment to the person. But the saddest reason of all is that person who ignores another could just be a complete jerk. And if you happen to encounter someone like this, you're better off to just keep on walking and pretend like that person never happened.