The following report is from Philippian outlet Manila Bulletin:
If you have ever been ghosted by a significant other, you will find an ally in Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. who filed a bill seeking to make “ghosting” an emotional offense.
House Bill (HB) 611, or “An Act Declaring Ghosting as an Emotional Offense,” seeks to make “ghosting for no apparent justifiable reason but solely to cause emotional distress to the victim” an offense.
He likened it to “emotional abuse” or “acts or omissions causing or likely to cause mental or emotional suffering of the victim such as but not limited to ridicule or humiliation, repeated verbal abuse and mental infidelity”.
The bill defined ghosting as “a form of emotional abuse and happens once a person is engaged in a dating relationship with the opposite sex which affects the mental state of the victim”.
Ghosting—when someone cuts off all forms or communication can be mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting to the ‘ghosted’ person. Studies have shown that social rejection of any kind activates the same pain pathways in the brain as physical pain, meaning there’s a biological link between rejection and pain.
The bill’s explanatory note said
The bill cited the “adverse effects” of ghosting on one’s mental and emotional state.
The ambiguity with ghosting, is that there is no real closure between the parties concerned and as such, it can be likened to a form of emotional cruelty and should be punished as an emotional offense because of the trauma it causes to the “ghosted” party.
The explanatory note read
Teves’s bill, however, doesn’t state any penalty for “ghosting” if found to be an emotional offense.
It also noted how dating has changed in today’s world where social media has become the main form of communication between couples.
Teves is the same lawmaker who earlier filed a bill seeking to rename the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) into the Ferdinand E. Marcos International Airport.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
The insanity of this is just incredible, but it is 2022, so can we really be surprised?
If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?
Job 4:2
Since people no longer act and function like normal people, who talk and congregate in person – now practically everyone lives their lives behind a smartphone and in chatrooms, and proto-metaverses; therefore, the government can now come in and attempt to mitigate someone who does not reply back to a text, comment, email, memo, and so forth.
In my view, this is some foreshadowing for the sinister reality of the internet and metaverse to come, tied down to social credit, and internet participation scores.
The Coming “Global Citizen” Test That Will Be Mandated For People To Use The Internet
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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I’ve been ghosted, but it’s not the same as being harassed or threatened, and I’ve never considered reporting them to the police, it wouldn’t make any sense – it’s neither physical nor verbal assault.
Ridiculous. The Philippines is such a wicked country. Predominantly Catholic. So many vile traditions and practices. Flagellating themselves bloody come the “holy” week, some devotees letting themselves be nailed on crosses, parading idols around, wiping them with hankies for “healing”, statues of Mary supposedly weeping blood, all the trinkets people have from their Catholic faith, from palm leaves to pendants hung on doors and their necks. I knew of a local priest who had, right behind the “church” where he held mass, fighting cocks for gambling, and I have a cousin who is a priest, who smokes cigarettes and oftentimes eats a whole roasted chicken in one sitting.
We all know social media platforms were designed to feed people’s narcississm, the “like” features (which typically are in red, these designers understanding perfectly how different colors influence emotions). Most people are so self-important nowadays and thin-skinned, forgetting we are no more than dust, and as Jacob pointed out, literally turning to dust everday (you know, most of the stuff we sweep off our floors and forms on our things) that they get offended and hurt when they get no replies to emails, texts, or no one liking their posts or comments.
Sadly, if I understand ghosting right, that has been my whole life. Even as a lost man from my childhood years. Has anyone felt like they are their only species on earth?…. Well…. That’s been me my whole life, all 31 years of it. And if “Aliens” do exist, I’m proof! (Sarcasm)! I’m probably not the only one though. Everybody has been ghosted at some point, see. But I can agree that being ghosted is far better than being expected by the world.