Blocking doesn’t stop them from propagandizing others.
True but sometimes you have to pick your battles for your own mental health.
Very true, but be careful not to end up in an echo chamber
oh no my echo chamber of funny comics and cat pictures aaa oh nooooo
:3 you made me laugh. meow!
Tons of drawn porn in mine. Bit of politics and most importantly almost no slop.
Echo Chambers are great. You just think they’re horrible because you’re in an echo chamber that says they’re horrible.
It sure would be nice to have the choice to opt-in to an echo chamber, instead of being told that I cannot opt-out of the opposite.
outside opinions are important
But interacting with them will be interpreted as “engagement” and lead the algorithms to push them into more feeds and rank them higher.
The big problem is discerning when you’re playing chess against a pigeon, and when you’re acting like the pigeon yourself. “I would never” - a pigeon
We all think we’re not that guy. Especially that guy.
oh, yeah! sometimes we need to use the report button too.
If they’re propagandizing, there’s not an argument you can make to stop them.
Interacting with them won’t either. There is no winning with them.
The point is not to change the troll’s opinion; the point is to discredit them in front of whoever else may be reading the thread.
Also, the other action other than blocking them is reporting them and having a mod or admin remove them for everybody at once.
Both of those are better options than individually blocking.
Not sure arguing with them really does either. I think this was true in simple chronological message boards, but anything that boosts content due to engagement is just going to make it worse…
To be clear, I’m writing from a Lemmy/Reddit/Slashdot perspective. Maybe on Mastodon/Twitter (or, dog forbid, Facebook) it’s different, but I wouldn’t know because I’ve never used that shit.
Pretty sure reddit uses some algorithmic stuff to push threads, no? If you jump all over a bullshit political post, for example, doesn’t that help push it into ‘hot’ or whatever? (Honestly asking, been off reddit for years at this point).
Lemmy/piefed/etc might be less prone to it though, that’s fair, though I’ve so far run into less outright propagandistic stuff here so far… might’ve just been lucky on that front.
I was thinking more in terms of replying to the comments within threads, rather than the posts themselves. But yeah, I guess you’ve got a point that the number of comments under a post might influence its position in some types of feeds.
If everyone blocks them then yes. I’m doing my part of the job.
Over the years I’ve realized the futility of engaging with idiocy online. It’s either trolls, bots, or morons, and I’m not convinced any interaction is worth it to me, all it does is piss me off, and I’m just enabling their stupid bullshit.
So yeah, there’s a one strike and you’re out policy now. Does that increase my echo chamber, sure, but I’d rather interact with like minded people than piss away my own happiness by feeding bots, idiots, and trolls.
Everyone will piss you off once eventually
There’s 8 billion people, if you count bots there are probably 16 billion. I already have good people in my actual life, I can spare a few online souls lol
That’s it, starik. You’re on the list now.
“It’s either trolls, bots, or morons”…which one are you? 😁
I’m the alpha and omega of online toxicity, bow before my sludge
he needs to make an exception for comedians
See this type of thing cost the left the election in 2024. It’s time to have better arguments to sway people’s minds, they still will vote afterall
I tried for years man, but there’s so much bad faith, and I’m just one guy who just wants some peace now. I’ve been so fuckin angry my whole life, I just can’t anymore, the futility is draining
The thing that cost the the election was that overwhelmingly popular left policy was entirely unrepresented; the left screamed “Genocide, funding ICE, and doing fuckall to help people will decrease votes”, liberals said “What the fuck are you gonna do, not vote? We need to appeal to Moderate Republicans™ by talking about stopping migrant caravans, including republicans in your cabinet, banning trans people from sports, and The Most Lethal Military Ever!!”.
And once again, basically no republicans voted democrat, while massively unpopular republican policies decreased turnout.
It would be trivial to sway people with “Do you want free healthcare? Do you want to NOT resume a genocide? Do you want to keep federally legal pot? Do you want Trump to stay in prison?”
Only USA exist 101
Ah yes I forgot about the global election that’s happening in 2024
My friend, USA is the only place that truly matters. We are the greatest empire that have ever and will ever exist on this planet. Only with the grace of the USA, does any other country continue to exist. We have won so many world wars. We have proven to be the best and every other country just follows in our wake. So when elections happen in the USA, that’s the elections everybody talks about throughout the whole world. When our trillionaires make decisions, the rest of the world listens. That’s true power, that’s something no other country will ever be able to experience.
Yet you left Reddit to come here.
Do you think Lemmy was made in America?
Please don’t answer, it was just offered to spark your thinking.
Even though there is a point behind what you said there, behind THAT is an even bigger point: that pride comes before a fall.
Don’t worry, you will come to understand… eventually, one way or another.
Well reddit is too corporate now, I like this place. Without the USA lemmy wouldn’t excist. Without the USA this whole computer thing wouldn’t excist. You should be thankful that all this exists and was given to you for free. #thankanAmerican should be a thing really
I never said that people shouldn’t be grateful for good things. I only said that the USA is not the literal exclusive nation in the entire world that had elections in 2024.
And you said that you like this place, so I am offering a correction here if you choose to accept it: we can leave Reddit behind, all of it.
I don’t like what Reddit turned me into. Argumentative, combative even, ready to unleash upon anyone who dared respond with the slightest criticism. Did you know that Reddit designed their systems to promote such rage-baiting? You, like literally all of us here, feel into their trap. But you can breathe the free air now.
If you want.
Ah yes, the fascist country ruled by conmen and conspiracy theorists, where people struggle to pay rent, and avoid going to the doctor until it’s an emergency. Where people sign up to kill Arabs, just so they escape poverty. Truly the best.
Lol show me 1 country that is better 😂😂
“the” election - as if there was only a single one? Lemmy.World where your account is housed is not located in the USA (while I do not know about programming.dev).
Your argument would carry much more weight if you displayed the slightest sensitivity towards acknowledging that places outside of the USA so much as exist, and occasionally have elections.
You can’t logic people out of opinions they didn’t logic themselves into.
You have to scare them.
Then let’s scare them
Exactly :-D
Edit: Picture removed as the comment above mine was edited to make it no longer relevant.
If you block everything you don’t like, you end up in an echo chamber with no possibility of new perspective. Learning and Insight require thesis and antithesis. If there’s anything you should block, it’s rude, agitating, insulting rageladen discussions or users. Those also hinder Insight and new perspectives.
I agree, but with so many bots around I think there has been a concerted effort to obfuscate the truth, so it’s a balance for sure
If you find an unlabeled bot, most admins will ban them.
So far every time I’ve seen someone claim Lemmy is full of bots, they haven’t been able to identify 1 unlabled bot.
And its not even hard, there are users that AI slop in arguments, so I think its literally just people wanting an excuse to dismiss viewpoints they don’t like.
I was talking about the internet as a whole, I don’t know the specific security or botness of Lemmy, I’ve not found one so far as far as I can tell. Most users Ive seen have pretty long histories with varying opinions.
Confirmed bot.
Blocked.
Who is a confirmed bot? Me? What would I say to show Im not a bot? We all use VPNs. Do typos prove you aren’t a bot? Ask me to bake a cake or something.
Reminds me of that Talos Principle log.
Ok. Bake a chocolate cake with cherry glazing. Send it to my address in less than 5 business days or you will be forever labeled as a bot.
If I knew your address I think that would be more bot like
As long as I get cake, I don’t care!
I block US politics because it’s same whining every day, that by and large has nothing to do with me. Even though I’d like to learn occasionally what new entertaining stuff the pedofascist came up with, I don’t think I’m missing much, and I’m getting closer to the last frame from the OP.
half the comments in this thread are straight up hypocrisy, which is a great way to see who to block.
I prefer a more direct approach…
Meh. I’ve learned some interesting things from some people I found a bit annoying.
It’s how I’ve come from card-carrying Republican to more or less fitting the label “progressive.”
I think this is for people who are less “annoying” and more “actively lying and being bad faith.” If someone says the elections were stolen, vaccines cause autism, and liberals hate America, I have other things I would rather do than investigate every one of the infinite conspiracy theories that I already know many others have debunked. It’s essentially an exercise in bad faith rhetoric at that point, which is just so incredibly boring. I’ll look into a few to see the patterns of how they lie, and then I’m good.
That’s a very heavy lifting interpretation of the comic. It literally says “I don’t like this thing”. Not “this person is arguing in bad faith”. This is how echo chambers form, and lemmy is a textbook example of one.
Well maybe bad faith wasn’t the right term, I think for me it’s just that if someone disagrees with me, my response is almost never even close to “I don’t like this,” unless they’re being hateful, unreasonably rude, saying proven false conspiracies, etc. Most of the time it’s “oh I think they don’t realize or haven’t considered xyz” and most of the time either they didn’t know or they correct me on something.
For things I would block, if a racist maga person comes in and says something, I gain absolutely nothing from hearing how climate change is fake, how libs are the real racists, how we hate trump for no reason. It’s just negativity conspiracy brainrot and it’s a huge waste of my time. Same for posts about what random out of touch billionaire #45 said, same for people generally being mean or super negative towards others, that’s what I actually don’t like and am happier having blocked it to never see again.
I think this is for people who are less “annoying” and more “actively lying and being bad faith.”
It can easily be co-opted by people willing to block either, as evidenced by the flame war in the comments here; the post suggests “I don’t like this” -> Block. I don’t like annoying people. I also don’t like people arguing in bad faith.
This is further complicated by the fact that a lot of people misconstrue good faith arguments from very different points of view with bad faith arguments. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been labeled as someone arguing in bad faith because my view differed from theirs and I didn’t immediately reverse my stance when confronted, or someone simply can’t read very well (literacy rates being what they are these days).
In part, this is because trolls sometimes like to be very subtle and drag a conversation out for 50 comments.
In part, this is because people are dumb and/or paranoid and don’t understand that people with other apparent viewpoints might not be trolls.
Well it’s truly pretty rare that I block people, and maybe people do do that for things that they just disagree with, but I took it as the “block negative things out of your life.”
Lots of crazy people on the internet, I just try to remember that sometimes I’m the one being smugly incorrect (and was that way up until like 25) so I can’t get too mad at other people for it. It’s why I heavily err on the side of caution, only when someone does the maga loop back to something they already agreed is false that I’m like ehhhh…
There’s plenty of documentation surrounding people getting banned for little to no reason. Blocking obviously has much less accountability and transparency to it; don’t you think people are much more willing to block for even less?
Not to be rude but, there are tons of people in the world and they’re all completely different. “I wouldn’t do it so nobody else would” is naive.
Hence:
X officially changes block function
Here’s a fun new one, no longer able to block accounts on pages. Thanks, Meta
https://www.reddit.com/r/facebook/comments/1ps4r5d/heres_a_fun_new_one_no_longer_able_to_block/
Under the new system it actually lets the blocked person know they are blocked, which is horrible design because they now know that they need to use an alt to send you mean messages. Under the old system they don’t actually know if their messages are getting through, so it is better in that regard.
https://www.reddit.com/r/self/comments/1st24au/reddits_new_block_feature_is_bizarrely_antisocial/
Blocking someone reduces ragebait engagement, and they can’t have that, I guess…
“for the love of god get off twitter” - Sonic The Hedgehog
yeah, and actually all those platforms have been shown on different opportunities to have a bot problem and it’s still unaddressed because it’s basically a conflict of interests to them (numbers go up : stakeholders go happy.) That’s basically how I’ve been drown to Lemmy (and before, other ‘niche’ forums, irc channels, etc.)
You can always “block” (i.e. not use) forums and platforms that don’t work the way you like.
Sure, until next place changes their block function as well. Changing the rules to something that is objectively less safe is a bad thing, even if people are free to leave.
Edit for clarity.
I agree, but my reaction would be to leave, not suffer through it.
The fact that these platforms are trying to remove the block button is, to my mind, the strongest argument in favor of using it. These platforms are often mentally corrosive and will do everything in their power to ensure that you stay addicted, outraged, and idle. If you’re busy debating reactionary idiots, who these days might not even be real people, then that is sapping your mental energy away from more productive efforts in your party/union.
Maybe you are just afraid to have your preconceptions challenged and are here for a quick ego fix. Which is cool and all, we all doomscroll, we need that dopamine, but I don’t believe that is the purpose of a forum like this. Tik Tok might be a better match.
I can’t read your reddit thread without logging in, which will never happen.
The first, most central and foundational principle of international diplomacy and conflict resolution is that you must always afford both sides a voice. If you don’t, there can be no communication, no progress, no way forward but conflict.
Take a moment and try to feel what you feel when someone ignores you, as if you were thin air. Does that emotion lead somewhere good?
I’ve never blocked a single person and I am old.
I don’t get the need. I just ignore them, and remove the “blocking” extra step. If some random Trumpy is super mad and messaging me often, it pleases me. I’ve got some guy on FB that has been messaging me for years, he’s like my best friend now.
I get the need, because I’ve been threatened, harassed, and had insane internet psychos call my workplace or home.
and easiest way to prevent that is to block them before they can escalate to that point.
That’s why I block everyone. I don’t even know what you just said. I blocked you before I read it because who knows where it might escalate.
I read a lot of comments, and unless I block a lot of people, it is just not worth the engagement. There is only so much transphobia and pro-genocide propaganda I can take per day, even if I skip reading past the first few words.
Also, if any actual person reading this, is considering themselves a tankie, and does not support genocide, please, this random internet stranger pleads, to reconsider your position. You are hanging at the table with nazis, in that metaphora: trusting Chinese or Russian state sponsored sources, on genocide of their ethnic minorities, is the same thing, as trusting what Israel says about Gaza.
Yeah, never do it on actual social media, but around these part it’s occasionally useful.
When I want to solve a conflict, I just close my eyes and pretend that everything is fine so I don’t have to defend my beliefs.
This is a tedious novelty account, yeesh.
Takes a lot to block all the idiots on Lemmy. After a few months it starts to become a usable platform.
sitting at 468 users on my list right now.
I don’t know what the upper limit is, but by god I’ll find out.
What is really funny is that the person who commented on this is blocked by me.
Edit: Either the blocked account or someone else who is blocked by me commented. This is just too good. If a comment can’t be read does it even exist?
Blocking people is fine. Caressing your nipples because you blocked them is… less fine.
I’m not doing that. I just find it funny that in a post about blocking that the top post has someone who I blocked under it. Most people I block never know it. I guess this person does now and had some kind of opinion about it. As long as they don’t inflict it on me.
Okay, but you do see the difference between finding it funny and telling everyone about it, right?
A few people thought it was funny and one for sure doesn’t. I can live with that. Goodbye.
I don’t know how you’re measuring both or why you’re apparently missing my point.
edit: “I blocked this user but I’m still completely infatuated with them to the point that I check to make sure they are indeed commenting about me.”
I haven’t blocked that many people, but I’ve also blocked whoever the other commenter is. That likely means they are an obvious troll, if they made my meager list. It looks like they also replied to you, which is pretty funny.
keep going! I’m almost there!
Careful. Thats how echo chambres happen. Disagreeing can be uncomfortable and people might not like that feeling especially around facing and understanding bigotry. even more so if they havent learned to disagree amicably. Which youre not going to learn in flowers and meadows.
A healthy life is a reflected life. a healthy mind is an examined mind. playing only to a comfort level isnt exactly seeking growth.
i know a tonne of white ppl who you cant even fathom discussion around racism let alone politics without them going ‘youre bumming me out. why cant we only speak about flowers and meadows’
which is privilege pushed by spoilt racist people who call themselves ‘blessed’ for being white and never having to experience such things and love waving that comfort bubble in everyone’s less privileged face.
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Are they arguing in good faith?
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Are they willing to give and take?
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Is this a simple difference of perspective, or a moral line in the sand?
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Are you ready to change your mind on the outcome of the conversation?
It’s better to block than to scream into the void
This assumes everyone works with the same healthy boundaries to know when they are reasonable.
Pnt 4 there: disagreements and differences happen and should be allowed to happen.
A person who is in a toxic state knows how to distort those points in order to vilify anything and anyone as if it’s ‘toxic’. This is exactly how the right vilify anyone who doesn’t look like them. All justified for ‘feeling safe’ in order to escape discomfort.
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I like how many people interpret this as hiding from literally every problem that exists as opposed to not dealing with trolls or comics you don’t like.
Context is a thing, you don’t have to apply everything as a universalism. That’s kind of a stupid thing to do.
Do you read every piece of junk mail you recieve? Do you read every spam email? No, its stupid as you say.
*blocked* /s
Let no one tell you that blocking people means that you lost some arbitrary debate with some idiot online. I have proudly blocked my fair share of idiots and racists on all social media platforms (not before insulting them of course).
Any argument I’ve ever had online amounted to little in not nothing productive. If you think me blocking someone means I lost an arbitrary argument with a stranger online, you can think that all you want, I’m moving onto something else with my time.
Bingo. Honestly, i block people because i have better things to do than debate with morons.
I’ve blocked a shit ton of people here. I don’t care about open discussion when people are not interested in discussing in good faith in the first place. Also it’s just Lemmy I’m here for entertainment I don’t care about your whack ass opinion. The real discussions are done IRL face to face where people can’t hide behind an username. It’s not like the opinion of a permanently online basement dweller on the other side of the planet is important for the development of my world view when they don’t know anything about my country.
I’ve stopped engaging with most people online because im sure 99% of users are just bots.
You’re just jealous of my basement.
Yes I am.
I’m a devoted user of blocking. Happy to converse with people who take issue with my comments, but if they shift into angry insult mode, or all they’re doing is arguing against their own weird extrapolations of something, that’s when they get blocked. There are plenty of people in the world who are able to act civil when they don’t agree with somebody. There’s really no need to bother with the ones who can’t.
Same. I’ve blocked ~75 users so far. I’ve had more than enough of bad-faith arguments and concern trolls in my life, shaving away the worst offenders doesn’t magically turn my experience into an echo chamber.
Every time I use incognito window to see a reply from someone I’ve blocked (cuz old.lemmy does this thing where you can’t see any replies under you if someone you blocked replied as well), they confirm I was correct in blocking them.
old.lemmy does this thing where you can’t see any replies under you if someone you blocked replied as well
Do you mean it doesn’t show replies from blocked users (which would be correct), or that you can’t see replies to your comment if there’s a sibling comment from a blocked user? I’m slightly confused 😅
But in general, if you find any odd behaviour or bugs in mlmym or if you have feature requests, feel free to send them to #mlmym:mschae23.de, !mlmym@lemmy.world, or mlmym@lists.mschae23.de, whichever you prefer :)
you can’t see replies to your comment if there’s a sibling comment from a blocked user
This. If I want to reply I need to expand in incognito to grab the permalink.
old.lemmy doesn’t work for me, can you give me a link I am curious.
I don’t think I can.
When someone ive blocked replies to me I see that “continue comments” link, which opens to nothing regardless if there are sibling comments from unblocked users.
What the fuck did you just say to me kiddo? I will have you know I have over 300 confirmed blocks.
THANK you.
This is likewise how you cater your feed to be super comfortable so you see the same shit over and over and never grow or develop, and develop a rather strong intolerance of opinions other than your own.
Controversial opinion but seeing people repost the same tired ass arguments that we all get from the media actually isn’t that helpful to anything.
Put another way, I already have to tolerate people who disagree with me all day every day at work and in daily life and so on. If I want to learn something I’ll go read an actual book on the subject. Subjecting myself to online shitposting may not be as helpful.
There is nothing intellectually stunting about seeking community with people who are less argumentative, just like there is nothing enlightening about arguing with people who are posting in bad faith.
I think there is a time to build up and a time to tear down. True growth only happens when you are outside your comfort zone, but it is perfectly fine and dandy to want to have control over that. At the least, there needs to be a passive force within the system to entice people into growth that can be stepped away from or engaged for general positive growth. There needs to be beneficial governors of men (people).
