Advice how to get out of contact in a polite way

[DreamAgain]

What is the best way to fade someone who was a friend at some point but you no longer want to continue contact with them?

There are some guys and girls in my extended social circle that I would like to do this with, as I am noticing they are sapping me of my energy and their values don't align with mine. Basically these people are not very ambitious and I find myself getting adopting some of their laziness and entitlement mindset the more I'm around them, they are still very much teenagers in an adult body.

I get some texts from them here and there, I suppose it would do me no harm to just respond cordially and keep it short that I'm busy or can't talk now type of responses.

However, when the eventual "are you mad at me, why are you blowing me off" questions come, just curious how you would respond to this?

I was planning on saying something very generic and lying that I don't have the time to chat or hang out right now, the I'll let you know response, but I feel like the proper response would be to be honest and just say I don't feel this friendship is genuine anymore and I think our lives are just going on different paths.

Any advice gentleman.

 

[lost_blackbird]

In the last few years this has happened to me with some so-called friends.
Rather than have a conversation about what crap friends they are I simply
blocked and/or deleted. No room on my back for more monkeys.

 

[Stuffnu]

I don’t think you have to do anything per say, except be cordial.
These types of friendships always fade as we grow older. Values change, people get married or have kids, some continue to party hard whiles others prefer to chill, etc.
It’s not there fault or yours - people change.
If you’re too busy to hang out with them, they’ll get the hint and eventually move on.