Blocking users

[madelinemasoch]

Hello. Is it possible to block somebody? Not on the forums, but on the main site. I have an obsessive hater named Whackdoodle who cannot stop commenting on all of my chapters, spewing vitriol against me personally, and aggressively misunderstanding the material that he is supposedly reading. Most websites with this kind of social function have a block feature. I cannot seem to find one on Lit.

 

[Altissimus]

I don't believe so, but you can delete his comments faster than he can write them (and it's unlikely he'll look back over to see if his comments are still there).

You can also report him. If there are personal attacks, screenshot it and send it to Laurel. Buh bye now! Buh bye! Don't let the door hit you on the way out...

(...no guarantee he'll stay gone, in the interests of multiple IPs, but it will force a new account and perhaps, with luck, a slightly different attitude.)

 

[Bramblethorn]

I don't think there is an option for blocking individual commenters on stories. You could try reporting his comments, particularly if they're getting personally abusive.

 

[MillieDynamite]

No, nada, can't be done.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I don't think you can. I actually asked Laurel in my PM to her if it was possible to block someone from following you on the story side. I didn't even get an answer, but I am almost certain it is a no.

 

[MillieDynamite]

So you're the one!

I don't think you can. I actually asked Laurel in my PM to her if it was possible to block someone from following you on the story side. I didn't even get an answer, but I am almost certain it is a no.

Just fucking with you.

 

[Bamagan]

Hello. Is it possible to block somebody? Not on the forums, but on the main site. I have an obsessive hater named Whackdoodle who cannot stop commenting on all of my chapters, spewing vitriol against me personally, and aggressively misunderstanding the material that he is supposedly reading. Most websites with this kind of social function have a block feature. I cannot seem to find one on Lit.

That doodle gets around it seems. Very prolific commenter. I get something from him(?) about once a week, more or less like what you described although nothing so far that felt like a direct attack (but some that came pretty close). I delete the screeds, but I'd block him, too, if I could, since it seems like he needs help finding stories he will like instead of just clicking on the 20th chapter of something he's already expressed scorn for.

 

[MillieDynamite]

It pleases some assholes to be assholes and spread their assholedness around, don't ya think?

That doodle gets around it seems. Very prolific commenter. I get something from him(?) about once a week, more or less like what you described although nothing so far that felt like a direct attack (but some that came pretty close). I delete the screeds, but I'd block him, too, if I could, since it seems like he needs help finding stories he will like instead of just clicking on the 20th chapter of something he's already expressed scorn for.

 

[madelinemasoch]

I'd block him, too, if I could, since it seems like he needs help finding stories he will like instead of just clicking on the 20th chapter of something he's already expressed scorn for.

100%. Exactly. It's like, I couldn't have been more clear what the story is about. Still, he clicks on it. I'm not sure he's actually reading, though.

 

[Bamagan]

It pleases some assholes to be assholes and spread their assholedness around, don't ya think?

It's funny to think of spreading something like an asshole around, since as a hole it's basically an absence of something else. But yeah, a certain type of person likes to go around making anal perforations.

 

[Bamagan]

100%. Exactly. It's like, I couldn't have been more clear what the story is about. Still, he clicks on it. I'm not sure he's actually reading, though.

Some of his comments are very boilerplate complaints, but on a few it looks like he may have at least skimmed the material. But I don't really read anything he says anymore before I bin it.

 

[ElectricBlue]

No, there's no block function.

Report the comments if the guy is a serial nuisance. The site can check all their activity, and make a decision. Meanwhile, Delete is your friend.

 

[SimonDoom]

I second the suggestion to report the comments and perhaps send a message to Laurel if you think the comments are sufficiently bad so as to be abusive.

 

[Cagivagurl]

Hello. Is it possible to block somebody? Not on the forums, but on the main site. I have an obsessive hater named Whackdoodle who cannot stop commenting on all of my chapters, spewing vitriol against me personally, and aggressively misunderstanding the material that he is supposedly reading. Most websites with this kind of social function have a block feature. I cannot seem to find one on Lit.

I have never seen a more aptly named commenter.
He comments regularly on stories I post.
It's always the same misogynistic bullshit. Often he just drops in to say. "Couldn't be bothered reading... Cuck shit, 1 star."
Other times, it's just human faeces ..... His attacks can become quite personal though.... If there was such a thing as moderation of comments, a lot of his shouldn't get through....
Don't be offended.... Where it as a badge of honour.
If he hates it, then it must be good....

Cagivagurl

 

[Bamagan]

I have never seen a more aptly named commenter.
He comments regularly on stories I post.
It's always the same misogynistic bullshit. Often he just drops in to say. "Couldn't be bothered reading... Cuck shit, 1 star."
Other times, it's just human faeces ..... His attacks can become quite personal though.... If there was such a thing as moderation of comments, a lot of his shouldn't get through....
Don't be offended.... Where it as a badge of honour.
If he hates it, then it must be good....

Cagivagurl

I am thinking I will start reporting him from now on, assuming he continues to comment on my stories. I suspected he was an unobomber, and if he's leaving comments like that it's even more probable. I don't think I've seen the worst he has to offer, but maybe if enough people flag him he'll at least get a stern talking-to.

 

[XerXesXu]

Whackdoodle's comments are worth following because they're so absurd they're funny. A ray of sunshine in a dull world.

 

[KeithD]

Just delete the comments and work on not letting them upset you.

 

[onehitwanda]

It's actually tough love and brutal criticism that have pushed our species to significant achievements.

Tough love didn't make Australopithecus use stone tools. Brutal criticism didn't make the Montgolfier brothers invent the hot air balloon.

While I appreciate that both have their place, attempting to imply that a significant reason for human advancement is "tough love" and "criticism" is going to be a tough sell here.

 

[PrincessArianrhod]

Life would be unbearably boring if everyone were nice all the time.

Not in my vivid imaginings it wouldn't.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Life would be unbearably boring if everyone were nice all the time. The notion that "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything" embodies a conformist and uninspiring mindset. It's actually tough love and brutal criticism that have pushed our species to significant achievements.

Do we really think that somebody too dim to think "well, I hated the first fourteen chapters of this story, maybe I could just not read the fifteenth chapter" is the guy to take advice from?

Not in my vivid imaginings it wouldn't.

I sure wouldn't mind giving it a try.

 

[TheSpleen]

Life would be unbearably boring if everyone were nice all the time.

Disagree. This wouldn't cause a utopia that makes life "unbearably boring." Humans gonna human, so everyone being nice all the time might bring on more angst than ever since nice =/= good. When you're disliked to your face, you know where you stand. When you're seemingly liked but actually hated and the person gets a chance to act accordingly, well...
Aside from that, there'd still be poverty, disease, natural disasters and grievances of everyday life, so things still wouldn't be boring.

Getting back to the point of the thread, OP you're not alone in thinking a block function apropos on the story side of this site. I can think of several readers who'd merit getting blocked, and I suspect their usernames would recur on many authors' block lists. Suddenly finding themselves with a lot less to read might be a wake-up call about their attitude.

ETA: This isn't to say niceness and goodness couldn't possibly exist in one person, but that it isn't necessarily the case.

 

[PrincessArianrhod]

In my limited experience in this world, I've found that people who pretend to be nice rarely remain that way for long. No matter how hard they try, their true, selfish, and shallow nature always emerges sooner or later.

My heartfelt sympathy for either:

1) Your cynical assumption that everybody who appears to be nice is actually selfish and shallow.

2) Your misfortune in never actually meeting someone who is genuinely nice.

[Delete as applicable]

There's a simple philosophical concept, ignored by most but easy to comprehend and just as easy to adopt, called Enlightened Self Interest. It states that people who act for the benefit of others, particularly within their own family or community, ultimately serve their own interest. Imagine if we all adopted such a philosophy...?

No, it isn't utopian pie-in-the-sky. Nor am I naive. I do, however have little time for people who act purely selfishly or spitefully on the premise that everyone else is as bad as they are.

 

[PrincessArianrhod]

As expected, you understand what is convenient for you.

Your previous post doesn't leave much room for misunderstanding so forgive me if I assume you are now being argumentative for the sake of it.

In my limited experience in this world, I've found that people who pretend to be nice rarely remain that way for long. No matter how hard they try, their true, selfish, and shallow nature always emerges sooner or later.

Obviously, there are nice people; they just don't declare themselves as such or demand others to be. They also tend to stay far away from such platforms.

You just said nice people are only pretending to be nice. Make your mind up. What is nice, though, is that your self professed limited experience allows you to make such sweeping assumptions.

 

[TheSpleen]

Why just block them? Why not throw them into the fire? Why not eliminate all these unkind reviewers, these bullies who always insist on expressing their disapproving opinions? That way, we would have a quiet and warm environment where everyone can enjoy mutual praise and butt-licking, if you're willing to give up any trace of authenticity and bend over, that is.

It appears your comprehension requires assistance. Let me explain, and do read carefully before reacting.

There's a world of gray in between 'No Reaction' and 'Extreme Reaction.' As I understand it, the original post isn't about negative feedback given respectfully. Nowhere does the OP insist on getting only "praise" and "butt-licking". The complaint is about being repeatedly attacked. I don't see how anyone of average intelligence should have trouble grasping this, unless they're just being argumentative for the hell of it.

If someone repeatedly abuses an author in the comments of their free stories and it bothers them, a reasonable response could be to block the offender to prevent receiving more abuse. "Throwing them in a fire" and "eliminating" them, would be an extreme reaction. I've yet to see anyone suggest any extreme reaction so your comment is out of place. It feels like someone grasping at superlatives to support their original faulty logic.

Comprehended that now? If not, here's a little story to illustrate:

Someone builds a new house in a commune, bakes tasty treats and tells the whole commune, "Hey guys, my door's always open. Drop by whenever and grab yourself a tasty treat."

Soon, members of the commune begin dropping by to look at the house and taste the treats. Some don't like the treats and house decor, so they say nothing and stop coming. Others politely tell the owner, "Thanks for doing this nice thing, but the pies objectively have too much cinnamon. Work on that. Oh and personally I don't like the designs on those shutters."

"It's negative feedback but you're polite so I hear you. I'll think it over but I may or may not change anything," replies the owner. "I hope you come back tomorrow."

Now there's one commune member who comes in, tastes the treats, calls them complete garbage, insults the whole decor of the house and the house owner to boot. He does this day after day after day. The house owner hires a bouncer with orders not to let that guy in again. The guy won't be "eliminated" (whatever that's supposed to mean) or "thrown in a fire." The problem was solved in a reasonable way that prevented further abuse.

I hope this is explanation enough because I find the tone of your posts off-putting enough not to engage with you further. Have a nice day now, and try to be polite to anyone else still bothering with you.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Someone builds a new house in a commune, bakes tasty treats and tells the whole commune, "Hey guys, my door's always open. Drop by whenever and grab yourself a tasty treat."

Soon, members of the commune begin dropping by to look at the house and taste the treats. Some don't like the treats and house decor, so they say nothing and stop coming. Others politely tell the owner, "Thanks for doing this nice thing, but the pies objectively have too much cinnamon. Work on that. Oh and personally I don't like the designs on those shutters."

"It's negative feedback but you're polite so I hear you. I'll think it over but I may or may not change anything," replies the owner. "I hope you come back tomorrow."

Now there's one commune member who comes in, tastes the treats, calls them complete garbage, insults the whole decor of the house and the house owner to boot. He does this day after day after day. The house owner hires a bouncer with orders not to let that guy in again. The guy won't be "eliminated" (whatever that's supposed to mean) or "thrown in a fire." The problem was solved in a reasonable way that prevented further abuse.

In this particular case, having read some of those comments, a lot of the "feedback" amounts to "why on earth would anybody make muffins, I hate muffins, everybody ought to hate muffins, you should be making cookies instead".

*poster eats another big tray of muffins*