On blocking

I so wish I didn’t have to block anyone. I so wish I didn’t have to manually accept or dismiss each comment on my blog. I so wish I felt completely free to write whatever I wanted, without receiving anything from threats to just mocking or bullying.

Have you noticed how we all got used to it?

On it goes:

“That is just the way it is. You have to block people. You have to mute people. You have to report people. You can’t answer all e-mails.”

I have so many friends and coworkers that are slowly getting to the point of letting go: no more controversial thoughts, no standing up for basic human rights, no ambitious explaining of difficult things — it’s just not worth it.

I am getting there myself, and I am the least controversial person you can find on the planet. I like human rights. I think a rich nation should make big efforts in supporting refugees from areas of the world less fortunate. I like real news media. I like to ask questions about where the money and the power is moving to in this digital revolution of ours. I am not particularily dogmatic about anything at all.

And yet, so very tired. Tired of adding new names to my block list every day. Tired of being purposefully misunderstood.

I have literally 25 years of experience of writing in real newspapers; I started very very young. I am a senior staff writer at a big, strong, old newspaper. If I can’t find the energy, the stamina and the determination to keep on keeping on — who will?

I wish I had a lovely concluding point for those of you who just spent two minutes with me here. An idea, a code, a revolution of norms that we could conduct together.

I don’t.

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Andreas Ekström is a journalist, analyst, author and keynote speaker — based in Sweden, but working all around the world. He writes on Medium most Tuesdays. (Well… some Tuesdays.) Read more here: andreasekstrom.com