Only logged in members can reply and interact with the post.
Join SimilarWorlds for FREE »

I Have a Suggestion for Similar Worlds

A thought about blocking. Why, when X blocks Y, does it automatically follow not only that Y is invisible to X, but also that X is invisible to Y (ie, in effect, Y has blocked X, through no choice of his own)?

X achieves his (or her) objective in blocking Y when he can no longer see anything Y writes, and when Y has no means of contacting him. But would there be any harm in Y still being able to read what X posts?

I found myself thinking about this yesterday when I discovered I had been blocked by someone I had previously regarded as a friendly acquaintance. Of course that’s his prerogative. But I was reading a lengthy exchange involving two long-standing friends of mine when I realised that something was missing. A post from a fourth member mentioned the author of the missing comments by name, and so I was able to discover that he had blocked me. But my enjoyment of the whole conversation was impaired by the fact that I was unable to read parts of it, through no choice of the other participants. I’m not sure what this achieved, unless it was to punish me for some (unknown) misdemeanour!

I would be interested to know what other people think.
This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »
ArtieKat · M
I agree completely. Martin. I've had the same happen. It is also misleading when the comment from the person who has blocked you is tagged "this post has been deleted" - no it hasn't: it's still there for the other participants to see. I think there's an element of paranoia in the people who block (X) without serious provocation - my guess is that they know they were in the wrong but do not want Y to have possible confirmation of this.

Am I making myself clear - thoughts are a bit jumbled?
MartinII · 70-79, M
@ArtieKat Yes, completely clear and I agree. In the particular case which prompted my post, I haven’t the foggiest idea why I was blocked.
ArtieKat · M
@MartinII The better solution would be to make replies visible but self-started threads and PMs [u]in[/u]visible.