Tom, I think there are dozens of reasons someone could block you but it's good you wrote about it, as it's an experience, and writing about such is good. People have blocked me and I've blocked people for different reasons. Some just got to me and I don't have time to deal with it and better to block them. Others were non-members and not contributing anything to reading or clapping on stories and many just viewed them or clapped and ran. Some others I had personality differences with and life is too short to deal with it, so it was blocked both ways! I couldn't care less what anyone thinks. I enjoy reading many good writers on Medium and I control who I interact with and if I feel a block is necessary, so be it. I feel no shame in doing so, and neither should you. Don't take it personally. Blocking exists for a reason, and people want to control their online environment. That's just life and anyone who writes online has to accept that's how it is sometimes.

As writers, we need to understand humans aren’t always rational. I’ve studied psychology, so maybe I am more inclined to realize that this is just part of human behavior. I admit that when I first started on Medium and found out someone blocked me for no reason, I was quite upset but quickly got over it when I realized it was a human reaction to something. Good writers understand humans aren’t perfect. I think using the word hate isn’t appropriate in this situation, as I doubt the person who blocked you had anything personal against you or hated you. Blocking someone doesn’t mean you hate them, it means you no longer want to interact with them — there’s a big difference.