Definition: That unnervingly smooth social veneer someone applies like emotional Photoshop – all charismatic banter and mirror-perfect empathy – while being fundamentally unavailable. Think dazzling first dates that feel like AI-generated intimacy, or texts that ping with algorithmic timing but zero authentic heat.
It’s the art of performance dating: curated vulnerability, rehearsed depth, and just enough “ghost light” to keep you orbiting. Underneath? Pure dead pixels. They’re not lying; they’re just emotionally out-of-office, running a screensaver connection. (Word count: 58)
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Inspired by: The gap between “genuine connection” and “good social skills,” emotional unavailability masked as charm, and the validation-seeking behavior prevalent in app culture.
Example:
His texts arrived with uncanny, flattering regularity, full of mirrored empathy, but any attempt for a real, messy conversation hit a polished wall.
We had dazzling dates filled with his rehearsed stories and perfect questions, yet I always left feeling unseen, like I’d interacted with a charming mirage.