It's good idea to block people who in anyway cause upset or provocation, either intentionally or not. I don't feel this is just confined to commenters, as writers also have a responsibility not to allege or provoke negative responses by their own biased perceptions of certain things. Writers can indirectly be harshly critical of other writers work for no real reason but more like a power trip to feel superior. I always like constructive helpful criticism and welcome it but subtle "digs" and inferences against other writers is just as harmful as commenters who may make certain remarks. The bottom line is that writing online is competitive, and it can turn unpleasant and confrontational. No has the time or inclination to want that kind of stress on top of trying to write quality articles. It's a competitive game and some writers use titles and the start of their story to get reads but after they get that, things can go south quickly if they make unwarranted inferences about other writers, or say things that may cause offense. Obviously there is a choice in whether to respond or not, and one can ignore whatever they read and not take it personally. Who cares what someone thinks about xyz, but all too often, especially for new writers they are naive and get "hooked" into discussion, just as much as being hooked into reading an article in the first place. Overall if I felt someone was scrutinising everything I wrote and making unfavourable assumptions or indirect digs, I would block them from viewing my stories, and I also wouldn't see their either. Two way Respect should be a component of the writing process, not just pushing out articles to get reads and money, without fully contemplating what is being written and how others perceive it. It's looking at things outside the box and from the readers perspective.