To think blocking is childish?

[TheAlchemistElixa]

I’m consistently surprised (and sometimes a bit appalled) at how many threads here are answered with “just block!”, “block and delete” even over the most innocuous friendship issues, or a man not having been in touch for a mere week etc.

I understand cutting out someone completely irrevocably toxic, abusive or harassing…but since when did we all decide that we just cover our ears and close our eyes and shout “lallalala, I can’t hear you!” like a six year old child at all our minor issues?

id be absolutely devastated if someone just blocked me for an infraction that could and should have been talked about instead.

Has it really become ok to just stop communicating with someone rather than having tricky conversations? have the people advising others to just block and delete actually done it to someone themselves, or is it just something they say to other people to do because it seems an easy solution?

I’m mystified by it.

To be fair in an example like this they're clearly the embarrassing ones however the friend and situations I was referring to are more like a bloke will not be interested in her for a bit and ghost her and she sends a message bidding him farewell then blocks, far too extreme!

Why is it desirable to have some sort of confrontation/formal declaration of ceasing communications? To have the last word like a 21st Century version of 'I banish thee'?

If somebody is done, they're done - no need to make a drama out of it, just disengage fully and completely, no great denouement, no expectation for the other person to humiliate themselves further by asking for contact, only to be refused or ignored, no way of misinterpreting it as playing hard to get or wanting the person to just try harder to get through to them - just block and it's done. The other person knows the blocker has walked away, that the blocker clearly doesn't want them to try to find other ways to get in touch, there's no confusion, mixed messages or potential hope. They know exactly where they stand.

Haha I enjoy your message @NeverDropYourMooncup. It really depends on the situation but I just ageee with the OP that people on here use it in ridiculous situations.

From Aquamarines response to me I get the feeling if we were on WhatsApp I would have been added to her blocked mountain already 🤣

Tend to agree.

If its harassment I can understand but some ppl do.it to easily.

I blocked someone today, someone I have known for many years and who would not take the hint that I do not want to continue a friendship with them that only worked one way. I don’t want a deep and meaningful with them. I just want them to leave me alone. The thing is with tech is that everyone has access to you 24/7 and you therefore need to put blocks in sometimes. Not long ago only good friends knew your phone number or where you live. Now everyone can get to you. It’s not healthy.

@MyDogSmellsTerrible I stated quite clearly in my posts that your kind of example is not the kind I’m talking about. So your offence is a bit misplaced.

I don’t think it is really, ghosting is pathetic and beyond rude/cruel. I would too want to cut off their access for further mind games with me. I don’t blame her for blocking them when ghosted tbh. I’d just do it without a farewell message.

I suppose it might also depend in how you use social media. I don't often speak to people on the phone and am even less likely to have been the one initiating the call when I do. I do use FB, but don't use it on my phone and often go a whole day without looking it sometimes a week or more, if I'm away. I'm not on Insta, Twitter/X, Snapchat, Tiktok or anything else. So if someone tried to stalk me on social media, I just might not notice... whereas someone who is on there at points throughout the day and their phone pings with notifications often (I don't have notifications set up,) it would be a lot more intrusive.

Only unhinged people hate blocking. Can't remember the last time I had to block someone or was blocked, would be years and years, but it's always entirely a personal choice. All the whatabouting and oh buts don't matter. You can't control other people, so stop obsessing about their choices and move on with yours.