Is there a "hide/block poster" option?

Good point squonk.

If the thread title said 'someone I know is being bullied here' then of course I would rush over to defend, but usually it looks more like 'thread that I'm probably not interested in' so I miss it and they go undefended. It doesn't mean you have no friends, just that your friends are either busy or just not on that thread.

you may have a point there, flight. If people recognise your name, you are an "established" poster.

Established = thick skinned and able to look after oneself.

I wonder if people are less willing to jump to the defence of someone that they perceive as being "strong"

I'm about as thick-skinned as a wet piece of paper but equally I am one of those people where the red mist descends too quickly . I try to live and let live on here,think twice before posting, after having my hands chopped off once or twice by someone more bolshy wiser than me as I hate the faff of name-changing or rejoining after a flounce.

I can go a few days without MNing as well but I always come back for more .

Lol Squonk. I think it was about an hour so point proved.

Someone else commented on it as well which was nice despite the fact they later transpired to be possibly trollish...still no idea who they were.

Sometimes I wonder if people see you as a really strong poster who is not afraid to be challenging or challenged - therefore they don't feel the need to stick up for you iyswim?

Thanks for caring Squonk. XxXxX

what you have to remember, flight (and others) is that if you say something contentious, and someone responds with an insult and nobody comes rushing to your rescue, it doesn't mean that everyone hates you.

It means that either everyone reading the thread agrees that you posted something a bit berk-ish or that nobody has noticed.

flight - to prove my point, how long were you a twat before I challenged you to make sure you were you and not someone being nasty?

im not thick skinned really. if somene i care for has been upset by me it in turn am upset. but i realise that you aren't real people.
your all figments of my imagination.

i am sitting staring at an empty screen dreaming about reading respsonses from invented people.

There are 1 or 2 posters on this site that I'm not a huge fan of, 1 or 2 that I've had mini run in's with over one thing or another and I remember who they are and will continue to. I don't however avoid them and if I see a topic I think I can help on or one that I think I can benefit from reading, I still take their views and opinions on board and will also advise in a polite manner if it's their thread.
I can see why a block button may be useful but like others have said, I think we should (whether this is the case or not) all be grown-up enough just ignore and non-comment on those we are not keen on.

Oh and charming

more indeed

Thanks Squonky. It was getting a bit on Threads I'm On, just glancing at someone's post saying 'I agree flightisatwat' and had to do a double take

Oh tsap

I like you

was it the dm thing?

Fwiw recently I've learned to take a degree of abuse, but only if I know I'm supported. Someone was having a right go at me a few weeks ago (I called her Shouty Kelly cos she used capitals all the time )

and it was so ridiculous I just laughed really - although it was still a bit shocking.

Then fell out with someone regular the other day, nobody stood up for me so I assumed I was persona non grata and left

I spent about 24 hours reading and not posting, feeling rather 'Ha, I don't need MN! I'm SO over MN!' before rushing to rejoin like a wally.

flight - have you only flounced 27 times? somehow it seems like more... and I'm glad you're not a twat any more. Didn't like it when you were a twat

I've lost count of the number of times I've thought ''so-and-so was mean to me....'' and I vow to avoid that poster in the fututre, only to find myself agreeing (or being agreed with) on another thread by the self same nemesis!

Stalking from thread to thread and bullying, however, is another matter altogther and can and should be, as SGB and others have pointed out, rectified by a word with MNHQ..

I dont have a thick skin and dont really want one tbh. I will just lurk and carefully post for a while. It is all part of posting in a site like this,

DIL: you're right, once someone starts swearing and getting personal, it is clear that they have lost their argument and have nothing intelligent to add.

T&P: I hope you haven't stopped posting, I always enjoy your comments.

Bullying and personal attacks are NOT ALLOWED on here and we all hate to see something descend into nastiness. I don't have a rhino-skinned hide, but the times I have been flamed by someone, another poster has always come along and stuck up for me, which sort of makes the bad stuff well worth while (iykwim)

Twould be a pity if we lose respected and well liked posters because some people can't keep their f*ing nastiness to themselves

IF someone is being really abusive to you (as opposed to just not agreeing with you) then you have the option of reporting them to MN and they will then get a slap - or if the abuse is serious they might get kicked off MN altogether. Otherwise, try to grow a thicker skin for your own sake: being such a wuss that someone disagreeing with you on the internet spoils your day is not very good for you.

Oh I just flounce when I have a scrap

As you can tell by my name

How could you follow a conversation though if loads of the posts are missing.

You might keep repeating things that your blocked people have said and then everyone would a. get narked and b. guess.

If someone starts stalking you it is nasty, but you can always namechange and start afresh.

You can not post on threads inhabited by people you find too frank/nasty.

Avoid AIBU etc etc

I am v thinskinned BTW and namechange after I have had run-ins with people... Works for me

I would not like to see it even though because of someone indulging in some rather mean spirited namecalling I have gone from being a regular poster to a lurker who will post only where she feels "safe"

...I notice that most of you saying this is a terrible idea are regular posters with rhino hides who are pretty much able to take any abuse that is thrown at you...

Can I just speak up for the lily-livered lurkers and say that being able to hide someone's posts can be a big relief if you get in over your head? But telling someone you're ignoring them would just escalate the situation, so you should be able to do it quietly.

For example, on the IMDB boards it just replaces the post with something like 'this post has been hidden because the poster is on your ignore list'. And it's a couple of seconds work to turn it on and off. And it can be really good for the blood pressure if you want to read a thread, but one particular poster is being annoying/abusive.

I've often wondered why you can't do it on the boards here. I guess things descend into flame wars a lot less, cause we're just that bit more civilised. Better-looking too, I'll bet.

Gosh, even the urban dictionary can't define cuntwhacker! I do like their word of the day though, it is used to bizarre effect here sometimes!

phew..thought the way this thread decended in such a fashion may have offended you

not te cocks btw. I wouldsay Ilikea bit of cock but dh mightseeand getexcited without reson

threadblocking- one of the things I likeabout myself is my willingness to be challenged and learn fropm that even when I don'tagree with it, it gives you insight.

what part of this conversation peachy?