It would be nice if Substack had a feature to block certain followers and discussions. My general rule is that if there is a discussion I cannot add to, I refrain from commenting.

Some people though don't follow this rule: most of the time they are people who see the world in black and white terms, and in terms of ideology and/or religion, and feel that they are "adding" to the discussion when in fact they are just venting their own beliefs. These are the peoples and discussions I usually block because they irritate me, and cause unneeded friction.

I realize that this creates a conflict for the publisher, because the publisher wants a lively discussion and diverse opinions. I like lively discussions and diverse opinions too, but I like the discussions to have certain ground rules, and if someone chooses not to observe those rules, then they can be blocked.

This would raise the level and quality of the discussions on Sinocism for me, and I hope for others too.