Blockity Block🚫
Tolerating the intolerable only encourages them
With more and more social media platforms choosing to incentivize people for being their absolute worst selves, just a reminder that we don't actually have to put up with it. This is a reminder that online or in real life, we don't actually have to put up with these people. They don't deserve a voice if they will only use it to hurt. If every time you let someone in the kitchen they grabbed a knife and started randomly slashing because they thought it was fun, you'd take away the knife and stop letting them in your kitchen.
Tolerating them emboldens them. Giving them any space to speak enoldens them. So use your block feature RUTHLESSLY. If you see them engaging in behavior that tells you right away this person is just a fucking asshole, block them. Don't give them an opportunity to be an asshole to you. You know what their character is. You've known what they're capable of because they did it right there in front of our faces.
We don't engage with them, because there's no reaching them. They try to make us engage with them so that we don't engage with each other and effectively fight.
They are the drunk frat bro running around the room knocking things off the table while the rest of the dorm is trying to study for their finals. So you treat them like one. You don't have conversations on politics and humanity with that person. You redirect them and you say "I don't acknowledge people who will fully refuse to regulate their emotions and behavior"
They're trying to annoy and bully us out of here. I'm locking the gate because I see them coming down the road and I'm not waiting for my turn.
You don't owe anyone attention. You don't owe anyone acknowledgment. If they want attention, then they EARN it when they do something positive. We don't reward their negative behavior with attention. That just reinforces behavior. Yes, I am comparing them to toddlers because that is where they have chosen to end their emotional development.
I don't care if it's a random internet stranger or your best friend's husband. Stop tolerating the intolerable. Block them proactively and move on. Stop giving them opportunities
Protect your space because this is your online experience. Customize it as much as you can within the options available to you. You know, like "blocking" or "only established followers can comment giving myself 24 hours to figure out a new follower is someone allowed in my space"
To forestall so many of the most common arguments against what I'm saying and most of the tantrums that I get in response when I implement these boundaries
Them not understanding the difference between censorship and boundaries is a them problem, not yours.
Them not understanding the difference between "free speech" and "well, actually no one even needs to acknowledge your existence" also a them problem.
Them not understanding that consent can be and that they are not owed any justification is a them problem, not yours.
I don't want their problems any more than I want their presence or their bodily emissions. I just want them out of my online experience.
No, you're not thinking too highly of yourself, you're just thinking higher of yourself than they do of themselves or you. And do we really care about their opinion? 🤭
Protect your peace ❤