Have you ever been dumped by text message, email or via Messenger or Facebook?
It’s a horrible feeling. Not only does this person no longer want to be intimate or involved with you, they don’t even have the guts to let you know in person.
I talk to lots of speed daters and partygoers at my events in the Gong and I’m hearing more often that relationships they’ve been involved in have come to an end via technology.
Is it OK to ignore a text message or not return a call if you’ve only just met someone and you don't see it progressing further? It can be a simple and effective way of letting a new suitor know that you’re not interested.
That said, if you’ve been intimate, I believe that it’s simply poor form to ignore them. My preference is always to bite the bullet, be brave and tell the truth (in a way that’s likely to hurt the other person the least).
Lots of people lie when they want to break it off with someone: “It’s not you, it’s me.” When in fact, they worked out very early on that this person just isn’t right for them and they’re saying whatever they can to avoid inflicting pain on another.
So this begs the question, at what point in the dating game should we expect someone to pick up the phone or meet with you face-to-face to let you know things aren’t going to progress any further?
If it’s been a serious relationship, the break-up has to be face-to-face. If there have been several dates or if there’s been shared intimacy, a phone call to say: "Hey, I don't think this is working out'' is the absolute minimum.
Of course, it’s easier and less confronting to send a quick text or email, but being an adult means facing emotional consequences. As much as it hurts, the other person will appreciate that you respected them enough to tell them to their face.
If you’re wondering how to break the bad news to someone, think about how long you’ve known them and how you’d feel if someone dumped you by text or email. Is it a relationship? Do they have a lot invested emotionally? Do they deserve a face-to-face encounter or will a break-up via text message be OK? | 
