Three times? Wow.

I was rear ended once. Morning commute time, driving a kid to school, stopped at a red light with cars in front and behind also stopped to wait for a red light of perhaps 60 seconds duration. I was about 3 cars back from the first car. The light turns green, and pow, the car behind me hits me. I was driving a year-old relatively expensive car. I get out, walk back to see the damage (slight accordion) and continue to the driver and as I recall said something like "WTF is wrong with you?" The response was "the light turned green and it was time to move so I stepped on the gas pedal".

Absolutely not. I enjoy reading diverse opinions, even if I don't agree with them.

Dislike when "pros" are rude to new posters. Also people who attack other posters vs. responding to the OP's question.

Nah. If it’s within a thread, you could lose track of the discussion. And if it’s an OP, well, just don’t read it. There’s only one person I ever wanted to “block”, it was over on Building, and they are gone now anyway.

There have been times when I wished I could "ignore" more than one person, but things have settled down here since discussing a certain subject has nearly stopped. I agree that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and that you can learn by listening to others. I think we're okay without either of those buttons, as long as we can disagree without resorting to name-calling and nastiness.

If we all could remember to treat others kindly it would be a much better world, wouldn't it ? We're all human and none of us are perfect, so unfortunately there will always be conflict and disagreements.

woodrose, yes "you can learn by listening to others" but experience has shown me that you can sometimes preserve more of your own brain cells by rapidly choosing NOT to listen to some fools! Some nonsense I've heard enough of, and don't need to give it even one more minute of my life! That's the extreme stuff, of course. A normal variation of opinion is fine.

Scroll On By works fine for me. We already have a problem with people wanting posts vanished.

I don't feel the need to block an entire person. We have the option here of flagging a post as "I just don't like it," and it will disappear from your view.

I do not believe that flagging a post as "I just don't like it" has any repercussions, but I could be wrong.

Occasionally I will react to a post that I should just ignore, and I always seem to forget that I can flag the post to make it disappear from my view.

There are lots of threads that I never open - generally ones that have vague or non-descriptive titles or that seem to be baiting. I'm generally not curious enough to take bait, unless it is from someone that I particularly like.

No. Most people can judge where a post is gonna go and can ignore it or not engage if it is going in a direction that they do not like.

That's what I have learned to do.

Already practiced skipping one persons comments on this thread. Works quiet well at keeping the bully away.

I’m another who just scrolls on by. Im glad we can report deliberate spammers and as for others whose opinions don’t interest me, I can just scroll past those comments and often do.

It isn't right to view anyone with a differing opinion as being a bully.

A skip or ignore button doesn’t matter to me.

I like the good natured, fun threads. I like that many posters give support to others when maybe they are having a difficult time with something.

For the most part, people are good. Those that have a “better than you, smarter than you” combative attitude are just letting off steam because of something missing in their lives. I think of them as a grumpy, frustrated individual and I hope eventually that they will be able to laugh at themselves.

Being nice never hurts.

“It isn't right to view anyone with a differing opinion as being a bully.” I agree, except I’d say “everyone” rather than “anyone”. Occasionally there are people who have differing opinions who are bullies. There could equally be a person I agree with who is a bully. Bullying is a behaviour not an opinion. Only an extraordinarily sensitive person could see bullying in any of the posts in this thread.

I wouldn't want an ignore button. I find the grumpies funny, as I do the knicker twisters who get in a lather over a perceived slight from a complete stranger a thousand miles away. It would be a boring forum without them.

Floral - there's a known bully on this forum, that person will insult and pick on others. Their behavior has been intense enough to cause other to chose to leave the forum - that's bullying.

Any time information is obtained for free - as it is here - there may be a tendency present to assume that it is not worth much.

Don't care to have an ignore button. Even people who annoy me on the internet at least add a little texture to my life.

"Just because someone throws a ball doesn't mean you have to catch it" Someone wrote that as a gift to me here maybe a year ago. And a gift it has been- not only for here, but IRL.

I get a little ping of pleasure when I decide to scroll on by, I was given a tool, I'm using it, and am happier. If instead there was a block, I wouldn't get my ping.

Sorry, Raye. I’ve not seen it.

No, I have no wish to block anyone.

Floral - glad you haven't seen it. I have and it's not pretty or pleasant.

""Just because someone throws a ball doesn't mean you have to catch it""

I'm not sure how useful that imagery is but for those who like it, I think it's incomplete. Those who like it should consider adding these thoughts:

Just because someone throws a ball doesn't mean they intended to throw it to you or at you. Let it go and move on.

For whatever known or unknown cause, just because you think someone has thrown a ball to you or at you, it doesn't justify going after them with your bat.

Ping!

Ping!

I just use my scroll button.

In addition to Lucille's saying, "Not my monkeys, not my circus" has been useful to me. (Did that come from Amylou? whoever it was, thank you!)

I have used that before, yes. But I don't know if I am the originator of it.....

I am the originator of the thrown ball expression. It was my Grandmother's expression. She explained that when someone says something to you that you do not like, you do not need reply. Just walk away. It is actually a very empowering thing.

Thinking it and writing it are two different things

I say if anything a thumbs down button.

True there are people on here that are abrasive, but I find them funny. Not ha ha funny but eye rolling funny. I do feel sorry for them. But for newbies they do scare them off.

Online? I do not give a rodent's posterior.

Ideally we will offer our opinions and comments to others in a respectful manner, even if we strongly disagree with them. I know that intention is occasionally forgotten, and things get a little testy between people. But things can get testy in some discussions with family and friends, as well. Overall, I'd consider a forum boring, if we all agreed and always had the same opinion. Variety is the spice of life, as they say!

One thing I would like to see return is the like button. There are times like the current Glenda thread that I would like to rejoice that she is advancing but I have had no interaction with her. Posting a comment even as well meaning as it would be could exhaust her current energy level so I would rather leave it to her long term friends. Sometimes you simply like what a person states but have no desire to add more to the discussion.

Personally, I see no need for a 'block' or 'ignore' button, if's plenty easy to just scroll on by.

Differing opinions can be helpful, educational, interesting, or insulting, demeaning, and even harmful, depending on how they are offered. It's unfortunate that some tend to offer their insults and condescending views as 'differing opinions', thinking they are clever. It still boils down to what it is, insults and even a form of bullying at times.

Rusty

I'm still seeing a thumbs up icon and a "Like" after each post on my screen.

Thank you Elizabeth.

I've never done so on this forum, but on the now-kaput KT forum, there were some posters who only ever seemed to post so-called "memes" or one-line non-sequiturs or virulent attacks or bald-faced lies.

When it seemed I was scrolling on by over 90% of a given posters responses, I would write a carefully crafted ad block custom blocking rule, that would delete all of that poster's responses from my view.

Edited to add: I did mean hot topics as Embothrium pointed out.

the now-kaput KT forum

My screen says we're on the Kitchen Table forum right now - you must have meant Hot Topics.

No. I can ignore people on my own if I wish. I am interested in other people's opinions whether I agree with them or not. I don't judge people by their opinions anyway. I judge them by their actions and how they treat me.

Skipped down to say hubby and I were discussing this topic the other day. he asked me why I didn't just mute people I found offensive on nextdoor.com and I told him I don't want to create my own personal 'bubble'. I want to see the folks I disagree with, and know what they have to say. I find it informative, and it's also a test of my tolerance and self control.

Saw a saying the other day, forgot the exact wording, but it was basically that once your words leave your mouth (or get added to the internet), you no longer have control over them.

P.S. @ maifleur, IMPE, the Like button is present for OPs on the gardenweb.com, but not the houzz.com URL.

I see the Like feature regardless of who started the thread.

A while ago, Raye, when you said, "Works quiet well at keeping the bully away", I first read it as "Works quite well at keeping the bully away". _________

Sometimes when I see a ball coming at me ... I may check to see whether it was hit this way by an old bat.

ole joyful

Lars, I have to say your honesty is delightful and makes me smile. You seem very well adjusted & funny considering some of the things you have experienced.

I'm OK without a block or ignore here, I can do that myself. And do that when the thread is of no interest to me, would add nothing to my mental health, seems to be taking the way of arguing and is not my idea of a break in my day....

Not that I expect every thread to be light and flowers - we are real people who sometimes have real problems.

I belong to another forum where I did block someone years back. I found her so annoying ;0) She posts very occasionally, and what I see is 'this user is blocked'. I cannot remember who she was now, or what she had said that had offended me so greatly. Blocks on that particular site are permanent, and can't be undone so I'll never know.

joyfulguy - quiet and quite have always tripped me up, plus I write in two languages.

Doesn't bother me, they are only words.

What Ladydi said!!^^

"I write in two languages"

Very cool. What's the second one?

I have just changed my mind. Wish I could block some responses to my posts.