The Ethics of Two Way Ignore

[Willie the Duck]

If it makes you feel better, I hate everyone. Even me. Especially me.

Pick favorite zinger out of:

1. For good reason!
2. D'aawwww! We hate you too, Snarf!
3. Then you are an individual of impeccable taste and judgement.

I'm just confused why this thread keeps popping to the top of the page but I don't see anyone posting in it after the first post???

Wait, you get a first post?

As a person for whom the internet is a legitimately dangerous place at times, I have found two-way blocking to be a safety measure. I still use Twitter, for instance; I've found a solid community there. But if they got rid of two-way blocking (as Elon threatened to do a while back) I would be gone in an instant and I would never look back.

Didn't he already do away with Twitter altogether? I seem to recall a post about it on X.

Joking aside, I think this is an important point. Regardless of any other considerations of hows and whys of ignoring or curating one's internet experience in general, there are going to be people for whom coming here is simply not going to be worth it (in time, effort, frustration, or simply not having fun doing so) if they have to handle/deal with/put up with/simply sift through stuff that brings them no fulfillment.

 

[billd91]

I think it's definitely a good idea to be able to take a break from things when emotions flare. I try to do that less because I don't go back to curate my list particularly often, but it's advice I should probably follow more often than I do. And like you say, it doesn't need to be permanent at all. How many times have you blocked me over the years?

I have gone back to review my ignore list from time to time and, as much as temporarily blocking someone may help some people, I believe there has only been one person I've unblocked who has remained so for any significant length of time. They've invariably gone on to irritate me enough to put them on ignore again for the same reasons I put them on in the first place. And that's in 20 years of board participation.

 

[Umbran]

Folks - can we put a lid on joking about self-hatred, please? Thanks.

 

[Scribe]

Everyone on here seems genuinely nice to me, so I 100% know no one actually hates me. Just a stupid persistent thought I have to fight off every now and then, haha.

I've got a few people I know had blocked me, I think I know why, and some unblock eventually, and its not like we were ever at each others throats. He in fact just threw me back on ignore likely for the same reason he had me on there originally.

Honestly there like 1 person riding that line for me now, and it just is what it is lol.

I have gone back to review my ignore list from time to time and, as much as temporarily blocking someone may help some people, I believe there has only been one person I've unblocked who has remained so for any significant length of time. They've invariably gone on to irritate me enough to put them on ignore again for the same reasons I put them on in the first place. And that's in 20 years of board participation.

There is one person I threw on a snap ignore for maybe 20 minutes to let me cool down and not get myself banned. Mostly now I just roll my eyes, since they are completely out to lunch in their views.

 

[Jahydin]

As a person for whom the internet is a legitimately dangerous place at times, I have found two-way blocking to be a safety measure.

Thanks for the post. That's certainly not a situation I've thought about.

Of course, the handful of sealions who know well enough to keep under the radar without earning the ire of the mods while also making their positions on such things crystal clear have earned their spot on my ignore list, and I will not be losing any sleep about their inability to see pretty much anything I post.

I'm always warry of others seeing me as a sea lion. Particularly when it comes to social issues.

Just because I'm of the belief of something doesn't mean I don't care to hear opposing opinions. I genuinely care about people and their thoughts and feelings. Also, it doesn't help I'm really eager to understand, so ask for clarification a lot.

Also, I'm older now, so have a pretty established world view. No matter how well worded or presented an argument is, it's still going to take a considerable amount of thought and time to change. The amount of people online that have patience for that is pretty slim, haha.

I can see how that all that can come off as looking disingenuous at times. I make it a point to never pester or "win" a disagreement, but still get the feeling I'm making others irritated and defensive.

 

[Aldarc]

Yeah, at least two of the people I have on ignore I think are genuinely nice people. But I don't need the temptation to reply to their nonsense every time they post (and they are both prolific), especially as it would turn me into the kind of angry person I don't want to be.

This is something that sometimes gets lost with the Ignore feature, especially when people discover that they are on someone's list. Sometimes it's because the other person is removing their own temptation from responding. I occasionally put people on Ignore only temporarily so that I don't turn "into the kind of angry person I don't want to be" and give myself a breather. Of course, some of those people still take that personally, and then I get put on their ignore list. Oh well. Their right.

 

[Lanefan]

A thing I'd like would be an "ignored content" flag replacing ignored material, be it original posts or quoted posts, so as to keep the post counts straight (there's still some funny issues with this) and so that replies that otherwise make no sense have some context.

 

[MichaelSomething]

I'm not surprised if people here choose to block me. They're simply practicing OSR style strategic caution. Low level posters may not be able to handle my incredible intellect and unbreachable arguments.

Edit: if you're reading this, I commend you for having the audacity and bravery to engage with me.

 

[Lanefan]

I'm not surprised if people here choose to block me. They're simply practicing OSR style strategic caution. Low level posters may not be able to handle my incredible intellect and unbreachable arguments.

Edit: if you're reading this, I commend you for having the audacity and bravery to engage with me.

I'm an old-school player - I scoff at danger, laugh at threats, and dance on my fallen foes (after I've looted them, of course).

Or I get my ass kicked and have to roll up another character. C'est la vie.

 

[billd91]

Funny story. You can't ignore the moderators on here, but at least one of them can ignore us. And since he has his ignore profile set to prevent anyone he's ignored from seeing his posts as well (and threads), you won't be able to see any times he's modded you (so, kind of a double-edged sword there as a moderator ). And since he posts a lot of the news on this RPG news site, it significantly cuts down on the site's utility in that role.