You know when people say, long time no see…….do you think it’s guilt tripping ?

[JennyTals]

I never know how to respond, other than yeah it’s been a while
or yeah how are you

but it often makes me feel like they guilt tripping

Do you think replying yeah I've not seen you for ages either, is OK ?

Why does it sound iffy ?
surely it just means haven’t seen you for a long time 🤷🏻‍♂️

Guilt tripping you? Why? Have they been making an effort to keep in contact with you?

No. I say it if I haven't seen somebody for ages especially if it's an unexpected encounter. No judgement given it taken.

Well 94percent think it's innocent to that's pretty resounding

It's not guilt tripping. It's just an expression.

It maybe guilt tripping but in any case it works both ways. I say to them, “likewise.” Last time I said that to someone who’s normally snarky they shut up!

It's largely a genuine greeting when you are glad to see someone you haven't in a while "Yes, it's been a while. It's good to see you" would be my response. I wouldn't assume they were trying to guilt trip me, just commenting on the passage of time like we comment on the weather.

The "either" is a bit odd because if they haven't seen you, you obviously haven't seen them.

I think like most language that phrase can be used in multiple ways. Most often it's used as I "oh we haven't seen each other for ages, lovely to see you now, we mustn't leave it so long" shorthand!!!

I'd reply something like "oh I know, we mustn't leave it so long next time". Or " yes, I've been so busy with x y z, what's been going on with you?" Or words to that effect. Varies depending on who it is and what's been happening.

I sent this to a good friend once, a bit embarrassed I had left it so long but also aware they hadn’t text me either. She literally responded “yeah it’s been a while” and I found it a bit cold tbh.

She was perfectly lovely when we met up and has initiated since, but it threw me off and I wasn’t quite sure if she was pissed off I hadn’t text - or that I had text! Maybe she was trying to do the slow fade and I had ruined it.

I blame the invention of texting for this. I’m not naturally flowery enough in messages myself a lot of the time.

”Long time no see” isn’t to guilt you, it’s just an acknowledgment of the gap really. It would be weirder to text as if we’d just spoken yesterday.

Guilt tripping - awful modern concept. Meaningless to most people

It would have to be a weirdly passive aggressive person to mean that surely?!