It hurts, and I’m sorry you experienced it. It can be confusing to be blocked on iNaturalist, when you’re just trying to help.
It’s the online equivalent of being ghosted. One minute you’re sharing your knowledge, and the next minute, you’re looking at a brick wall with no explanation. It’s natural to ask, “What did I do?”
As others have said above, it often has little to do with you. Many people are not skilled communicators. They’d rather hit a button than have an awkward conversation, even something like, “Hey, I prefer to ID my own observations first.”
And many people don’t understand their own psychology. They couldn’t explain it to you because they can’t explain it to themselves. Additionally, as mentioned, there could be accidental blocks from people who don’t understand how the platform works.
Blocking (and its real-life equivalents — ghosting and estrangements) are an unfortunate part of life. It hurts, because we are social creatures.
But blocking can also represent something positive: we have the agency to curate our digital spaces. While it hurts to be blocked, the ability to limit interactions is a tool for well-being. Someone might feel overwhelmed for reasons that have nothing to do with you, and this is how they manage it.
In real life, estrangement from close family members is surprisingly common. Usually the person “blocking” (initiating the estrangement) does it for reasons of self-preservation, as a last resort.
Don’t let it dim your passion! For every person who blocks you, there are thousands of others who are grateful for your time and your knowledge. Your contributions are valuable. Focus on the good!
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