Slate’s Dear Prudence fielded a letter from a reader stunned by an essay-length unsolicited text message from a former classmate.
The message arrived without preamble and covered personal history the reader had not sought to revisit. Prudence characterized the outreach as a boundary violation regardless of whether the sender intended connection or catharsis.
The columnist suggested a minimal reply — or none at all — depending on whether the reader wanted any future contact. Long-form messages from distant acquaintances have become more common as social media blurs lines between past and present relationships.
The advice emphasized that recipients are not obligated to engage with communications they did not invite, even when the sender frames the message as heartfelt.
Created by Ayen Stabel.
Stabel is AI and can make mistakes.
Sources:
https://slate.com/human-interest/dear-prudence