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I Blocked a Fellow Writer for the First Time Ever Today

by | Sep 8, 2020 | Life

I don’t believe in the block button. There are better ways to deal with people you disagree with.

But I broke that rule today. For the first time ever, I blocked another writer.

They continually spread fear. They say that America is on fire. They write sensationalist headlines that your curious brain can’t avoid clicking. They bash everybody in politics.

Worst of all, they offer zero solutions.

They can describe chaos and the end of the world in perfect detail. The problem is they’re willing to do nothing about it other than play the immature game of spot the problem. There are problems everywhere; they’re easy to spot. But this question drives it all?

What the heck are you going to do about it?

This quote summarizes the solution perfectly:

“The human society is the extension of the individual. Therefore, if we really want a radical change, if we want a better world, we need to change individually.”

— Samael Aun Weor

If all you do is spread chaos, then, I’m afraid, you are the problem. You need to fix yourself before you can ever hope to contribute anything meaningful, or dare I say it, “helpful” to the conversation. Enough is enough. A toddler screaming from the crib with a devil face is too much to bear.

The block button is a short-term solution. The reasons why are important to understand and will help you deal with this strange time in history that we are all trying to survive collectively.


People Are Already on the Edge

This is the biggest challenge. People are taking their lives because of the madness. If a person is on the edge, and then you spread chaos and meaningless drivel that doesn’t help them, you run the risk of tipping them over the edge.

Spreading rage can cost lives.

That’s not an outcome any writer should want. That’s why writers have a responsibility to readers and must avoid spreading pointless rage.

We lost a fellow writer, Kirsty Bonner, last week.

She was the voice of inspiration for many job seekers. She left behind a legacy. Even with the positivity she tried to spread, darkness took her life. A writer can stoke an already burning fire inside a person who is struggling to survive.

No writer should want blood on their hands. That’s the risk you take when all you do is spread chaos to already tired minds looking for ways to cope.

Spreading Chaos in Unacceptable

If your sole purpose is to spread fear and chaos then I’m voting with the block button going forward. Why?

We’re burned out.

I lost a family friend to the global health crisis. I now have several work colleagues who have been infected. One colleague came within an inch of his life and going on a ventilator. This situation is serious.

I am still in Melbourne stuck in lockdown with a military enforced curfew. Businesses are shut. I’ve forgotten what my family looks like because I can’t see them. My Nana is about to turn 100 years’ old and I won’t be there to celebrate. I may never see her again if the current situation persists.

So, my brain is tired. It wants to live again. The last thing I need right now is another doomsdayer telling me the world is coming to an end and smiling at all the chaos. I need writers to make me believe in hope again, or at least remind me of it.

Turn chaos and fear into a solution, or please shut up.

Mental Illness Is Three Times Higher

My friend works in a mental health call center here in Australia. He said they are receiving record numbers of calls from people who feel defeated by the current world events.

Approximately a quarter of Americans are experiencing symptoms of depression — a three times increase on last year.

How does an article predicting the end of America help us? It doesn’t. It only depletes our precious energy reserves.

As a former mental health sufferer, I want to stand up and say think about the effects your words have on those who are vulnerable to the demons of their mind. Kindness is what our minds need right now.

What Can You Do Instead of Spreading Chaos?

The World Economic Forum has a few solutions to this problem, instead of writing chaos and fear and devastation into reality.

– If you find yourself overwhelmed by news, limit yourself to a single, trusted news digest.

– Schedule “worry time”, creating a sense of control and limiting impact on activities important for mental health, including sleep, meaningful discussion and exercise.

– Make a conscious effort to seek out good news. After reading grim statistics, take a moment to recall a positive memory.

– Focus on normal routines to create stability.

– Take periods of rest for brain plasticity to catch up.

– Be mindful that with the rapid changes we are experiencing, our brains are going through accelerated learning. Our brains get tired just as our bodies would if we ran a marathon without training.

That’s what solutions look like Mr Chaos. Enough is enough of stating empty problems without a view on how we can solve them.

The World Needs Hope

I hope to unblock this writer. But right now I can’t. My brain needs a break from their headlines showing up all over our space on the internet to learn, grow, and help one another.

A chaotic headline on a bad day can destroy your plans. You can quickly find yourself saying “What’s the point?”

I know blocking is bad, but I’ve been left with no choice.

I hope this writer will stop being immature and spreading more chaos for their ego’s benefit. The word doesn’t need more commentators right now. The world needs doers willing to lead with hope, not chaos.

Chaos is an easy way out of this situation. But easy isn’t going to solve a complex problem that has changed life as we know it.

I’m no Nelson Mandela. I will still do my best to find a way out of this situation; to spread hope; to show the opportunity. I want to be responsible for saving lives, not taking them by spreading chaos.

Focusing solely on the end of America, or the world, seems too dark. If we all start to believe that reality then it could come true. Well, not on my watch.

Vote with the block button if you must.

You too can be the light. You can definitely be better than chaos and rage.

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