To Block Or Not To Block, That Is The Question

A reflection on whether or not to block a writer and the choices

Recently, I have seen an increase in stories and articles in which the “F” word (F**k) is in the title. The “F” word bothers me. I have heard the word used in public and private conversations. I even know the actual origin of the word. Although it’s not a common term I use, it might have been heard on my lips a time or two in stressful situations.

Yet it bothers me to see it in print in this venue. It bothers me when it’s in titles. I read a lot of Medium stories at my family’s home and in my off-time at work. My concern is that my family or coworkers may be walking by when I’m reading a story that has this word in giant, bold print on the screen.

What does Medium say about “F” words in the title?

Medium rules are silent on the topic of the “F” word. (Medium rules) Medium rules for distribution are also silent on the issue of the “F” word. (Medium Distribution)

A nuclear solution

One solution to the F-ing problem could be blocking the author that uses the “F” word in the title. Pondering that question of blocking has brought me to the consequences of blocking someone on Medium.

Blocking seems to be the equivalent of detonating a nuclear bomb on someone’s writing. That eliminates the possibility that I will ever see the “F” word in anything that person writes again. It also removes the chance I will ever see anything that person writes again. The author loses my reading time, and I lose their reading time.

Someone has blocked me. I don’t know why the writer blocked me. I’d ask, but I can’t because she blocked me. I have no way to communicate with her. I suppose I could create a free account for the sole purpose of communicating with her, but that seems a bit extreme, and if she intentionally blocked me, she might claim I’m stalking her. Given that Medium has around 60 million monthly subscribers, her action does little harm. She can change the block status as she sees fit.

I’ll assume she accidentally blocked me.

A tactical solution

A lesser form of punishment for using the “F” word in the title is to unfollow the author. I’ve considered unfollowing. It would be a shame to do that as writers I follow tend to use the “F” word sparingly.

A practical solution

The third choice is just not to read that particular story. That is probably the best choice. So, if you put an F-bomb in your title and I don’t read, clap, highlight, and respond to your story, you know why.

That sums up my 2-cents on authors’ choices of vocabulary.

Copyright 2022 Harold Zeitung All Rights Reserved

Disclosure: This story has been edited by Grammarly.com

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