The Surprising Truth About Being Blocked That No One Tells You
Ever had that sinking feeling when you realize you’ve been blocked online, and your first thought is, “Wait—what did I do now?” In the wild, tangled web of digital communication, misunderstandings are as commonplace as typos on a hurried tweet. Just recently, I found myself locked out of a chat with my good friend Ben Ulansey—blocked by what I thought was some intentional cold shoulder, only to discover it was a cosmic oops, a mistaken tap on a blurry screen. This little mishap isn’t just about accidental digital slams; it digs into how we handle being shut out, respect mental health boundaries, and navigate the fragility of online relationships without blowing our top. So, what if a block isn’t a personal attack, but merely a nudge toward self-care or a slip of fat fingers? Let’s unpack the quirks of being blocked — when it’s a mistake, when it’s a break, and what’s really going on behind the “You’ve been blocked” notice. <ahref="https://medium.com/u/ec36b1a799b?source=postpage—usermention–f06a1df068bb—————————————“>LEARN MORE
THE RECKLESS WRITER
Sometimes it’s a mistake, sometimes people simply need a break
Today, I want to spend a few minutes talking about the misconceptions and the misunderstandings that can easily transpire in our digital world.
A couple of weeks ago, I tried to message
. Those of you who follow me know that I do a weekly live with Ben where we bring in a guest and we discuss film and other ideas. We try not to talk about politics one day a week, but that’s becoming increasingly difficult in these dystopian times.
I was preparing for our weekly meeting when I saw that Ben had blocked me. There was a notification on his profile that said, “You’ve been blocked.”
That struck me as strange and I assumed it must be a mistake. Nevertheless, there’s a shiver of concern that goes through you when you see something like that. I wanted to double check with Ben to make sure that everything was okay.
At the same time, I think it’s important to be respectful when somebody blocks you. You shouldn’t feel hurt because it’s not really about you. Obviously, a person is doing something to protect their mental health. That’s sacred, you shouldn’t infringe on that.
I try not to be upset when I see somebody has blocked me, but that’s easier said than done. You have to walk through the process and get over your own reaction.
In the case of Ben, I know him pretty well and I interact with him on a variety of platforms. I thought it would be appropriate to send him an email.
”I noticed that you blocked me. I apologize if I said or did anything that offended you.”
He immediately wrote back and said, “Oh my gosh, I don’t know how that happened!” Then he went through and unblocked me and I was able to talk to him again.
This serves as a reminder that we shouldn’t fly off the handle at any perceived slight. I know that I often hit the wrong button with my big clumsy fingers on my blurry cell phone screen. It’s not all that hard to accidentally block somebody. Then there are bizarre internal mechanisms that come into play. Maybe you…
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