Only a total shit blocks

[Licky]

Blocking at the first sign of discomfort seems to be the go-to "advice" these days.

Someone sends a message you don’t like? Block.

An ex reaches out? Block.

A friend upsets you? Block.

No conversation, no closure—just an instant digital purge.

AIBU to think that only a complete shit behaves this way? Unless someone is genuinely unsafe to be around, isn’t it just basic human decency to end a relationship—even a brand-new one—with a few words?
How hard is it to type, "Hey, I’m sorry, but I don’t think this is for me," maybe with a brief explanation if appropriate? It takes all of ten seconds and at least gives the other person some clarity.

Blocking—essentially ghosting—is such a cold, cowardly way to cut someone off. It’s one thing if someone is harassing you or being toxic, but using it as a standard exit strategy for every minor discomfort? That’s just shitty behavior.

Blocking is the mature way of preventing contact.

Not at all like ghosting, since they know they are blocked and can work out what happened.

all this angst about blocking is a bit teenagerish. Has someone blocked you? Deep breaths, and move on.

What you're describing sounds like a mental health issue rather than common behaviour. If you block a friend because you don't like what they've said and have blocked everyone else in your life, then there's something wrong.

I Agree. Blocking is as bad as ghosting. Or deleting your number so it looks like blocking.
Its the immature way so many people exit an interaction so they don’t have to apologise for their own poor behaviour. Or actually communicate.
But it’s also the way that some people keep themselves safe from someone more concerning. So it has its benefits.
If you’ve blocked most people in your life then you’re the problem though.

The only person I blocked did not heed my request for them to not call me. I don't want to be nervous of my phone ringing. Blocking gives me freedom from that stress

I'm not a big blocker myself but some people won't take no for an answer and will use any explanation as an opportunity to try and argue and change your mind. For those certain people blocking is the best option.

I thought this was something about constipation.

If someone is unpleasant to me, I don’t owe them an explanation for anything. Nobody has an automatic entitlement to a goodbye and blocking is merely a means of preventing harassment and intrusion.

You don’t have a god-given right to closure just because you want it. Behave like a twat or fail to respect people’s boundaries and you deserve to be blocked.

I never block people i like to watch them keep trying to get in my good books.
Plus i have different ring tunes for the not to pick up ones.
Messages i read but never reply.
If its abusive messages i still read and think is that it is that working for them did it make them feel better but never reply i laugh at it because these people have now become unimportant to me and its funny.

Blocking usually follows unwanted behaviour or contact. It rarely comes out of the blue.

I'm sorry that someone has blocked you. All you can do is accept it and move on.

Totally agree with this

I block spam callers. It's a useful tool

I don't make a habit of blocking friends or family, or people I know. Of those though, there is one acquaintance I regret ever having encountered - they turned out to be extremely toxic and unpleasant. That person is blocked now and will never be unblocked.

Blocking is a great tool when used properly.

Depends. If they have done something disrespectful I see no need to give them respect they did not give to me.

Unless it’s a family member or long time friend I just block.

Lol nobody blocked me. I'm talking about the pervasive MN culture where blocking is seen as the go to method of breaking up and the like.

I've only seen it advised when someone's being a pain in the arse.🤷‍♀️

Me too. Like that thread the other day about the poor woman with the feral step-children and their awful father who wouldn't parent them. They broke up, they talked, she made it clear she didn't want any further contact but the silly man keeps texting. People were advising her to block which is completely reasonable.

Today for example there was one where an ex affair partner contacted the OP and she was told to block. How hard is it to reply sorry I'm not interested?

Other times it's when OP has been messaging back and forth and the other person has texted something she doesn't like. The immediate advice is to block. Really? As opposed to even a short message stating she doesn't think it's going to work out between them?

How old are you, OP? I just wonder how much opportunity or experience you've had with, say, your partner's ex contacting you? Because you don't seem to be able to put yourselves in those shoes.

Sometimes, you have a feeling for these things - you take their opportunity to build up your anxiety/resentment/anger by disabling their chances to do so. Blocking can be a very good way of doing it.

Having said that: i am constantly surprised at peoples near allergic reactions to being blocked by people. Accept that they don't want to hear from you, and move on.

Ive blocked a few people because i absolutely don't want to hear from them again. It's the people who block, then unblock then block again who are dicks

I agree. Blocking someone is the digital equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and shouting "LALALALALA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

That said, there is a place for blocking eg spam callers or if someone is being abusive, but if someone has been otherwise a good person, you should probably have the decency to send a quick text to say "I won't be contacting you again because..."

This could lead to more interaction from the other party.
There are some people that people don’t want to interact with due to painful emotions and memories. The right thing to do is to block them.

I think you are in danger of believing that everyone in all relationships of any type is both reasonable and rational. Your suggestions might work and be reasonable if that were true, but it often isn't.

The person I have blocked would see your "sorry, not interested" response as a challenge to be overcome to further their abusive intentions. So it's not enough in all circumstances.

As I said in my previous post, they are the only person I have ever had to block and I am not sorry to have done so. If blocking them after a ton of rambling and abusive messages makes me a total shit then so be it, I am comfortable with that. It's better than the continued shit of the past.

The only two people I have blocked are my daughter's dad, who has form for flying into a rage with me over every perceived slight and sending me reams of abusive messages over several hours, and a married bloke from my old work, who took to spamming me several times a day on both WhatsApp and Instagram with 10+ mildly offensive/sexual memes and messages at a time, even after I'd left the company and made it clear I didn't want to stay in touch.

Both justified in my opinion. If they can't work out why they're blocked then that's not my problem.

However, my abusive ex husband used to regularly give me the silent treatment and block me to punish and control me, so I can also see where you're coming from OP. It depends entirely on the motive and context.

Abso fucking lutely.

Exactly

Obviously blocking is necessary and healthy sometimes. I'm talking about blocking in the first instance, say after online dating a few weeks and then getting a message that puts you off that person.

In this situation it's basic respect and dignity to let them know you won't be continuing the relationship, rather than just blocking.