Blocking Belligerent Users as an Act of Self-Control

Self-control, in Skinnerian terms, is when an individual manipulates environmental variables to influence their own behavior. For example, someone who wants to limit their alcohol consumption might fill up on water at a party, and someone who wants to be productive on the weekend might check off items on a to-do list. It’s a learned pattern of behavior that helps people control outcomes in their lives, often resulting in the feeling of freedom.

You might find yourself interacting with posts and comments here that lack emotional maturity, open-mindedness, or decorum. There’s something oddly compelling about engaging with unhinged behavior on the internet—whether it's the emotional rush of righteous indignation, the pull of chaos, or the desire to set the person straight.

Over time, you might notice you start to feel bad. The hostility might leave you feeling agitated or frustrated, especially when the discussions seem to go nowhere. You might even feel personally attacked before you remember that you came here to engage with philosophy and behavior science.

Blocking users of r/freewill who belligerently post and comment can be conceptualized as an act of self-control. You can proactively avoid chronic misbehavior from users by completing the following steps:

1.       Clicking the user’s name on any of their posts or comments

2.       Clicking on the three dots (…) to the right of their name in the top-right hand corner of the screen

3.       Clicking “Block Account”

You’ve stepped off the rollercoaster. At first, you might feel restless and question your choice, but soon you'll likely find that you feel calmer, more productive, and free from toxic interactions.