Acceptable reasons - Why people ignore you

Why do people ignore other people? It is a very uncomfortable situation when people ignore you. The person who gets ignored, often, feels like that it is deliberate and other people are out to get them or they just don't like them. Although this is a "valid" feeling, this might not be always the case. There are many reasons (acceptable and unacceptable) why people ignore other people.

Acceptable or Non-malicious Reasons:

People are worried and are in deep thought at the time that we have approached them. For instance, there may have been an argument with their spouse, a child not doing well in school or possibly dealing with a drug addiction, things not going well at work and so forth. It is possible that he/she did not realize that we were trying to get their attention at the time.

People are preoccupied. They were probably in the middle of negotiation with their boss/business associate, busy with paperwork or having a conversation (in-person or telecon) with someone else.

People are having health issues: The person might be feeling ill, which could range from a mere cold or flu to a more serious health issues. He/she might not be in the best of health and did not feel like socializing.

Just simply did not hear you. It could be that the room was full of people and noise or they have their earphones on or they just merely did not hear you. This happens to everyone occasionally, but it does not mean that it is deliberate.

People did not know how to handle a certain situation,
so instead of acknowledging you, they have opted to ignore you. Sometimes, a person can be confused at the moment, and did not want to add any confusion to the current "chaotic" situation.

People have other priorities:
This one refers to "e-mails." Sometimes, people have other priorities and reading e-mails is not on top of their lists, so they are unable to reply in a timely manner. You may try to call them on their land line or cell phone or even text them. Chances are they will get the message and will get back to you.

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