When Ignoring a Text Is the Polite Thing to Do

Social norms need to keep up with how we communicate today

Credit: Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision/Getty

It used to be a commonly held belief that every request deserved a response. Not replying to someone who had sent you an invitation, made a request, or asked a question would be seen as a breach of the social contract. Indeed, it’s the entire basis of the RSVP, which literally comes from…