Ummmm this post jumped out at me.....depends upon your definition of blocked. sure there wasnt much of computers and internet in the 80's so in that sense of course people didnt internet wise "block" each other but in real life people do "block" each other.... my siblings tell stories about how in school the kids had their "clicks" and if you were not the in crowd you were not talked to, did not get invited to parties, sometimes got bullied. when it was time for me to go to school I discovered they were right if someone didnt want to be friends with you they didnt accept you. talk to you, invite you to play with them, walked away when you tried to be around them, in high school there were those "clicks" the sports people accepted and hung out with sports people, the cheerleaders accepted and hung out with the cheer leaders, the chorus / band people hung out together, the "gifted and talented" hung out together. even in working as an adult if you look around and pay attention you will hear the gossip of which co workers likes and doesnt like that co worker and wont have anything to do with that one, and this one kisses up to the boss and that one has their favorites... if you read historical non fiction you will find "blocking" (not being friends with this one or that one, bullying, or not accepting someone) has been happening even way back in the cave man times there's archaeology evidence of this one was not part of the nearby cave and had this or that wound that pointed to the cave took matters in their own hands against that one...

my point.... blocking does happen whether its on the internet or not since the dawn of man and animals. we just dont always "see" it or recognize it for what it is.

bottom line is there is no hard written in stone rule that says people have to accept each other and be friends with everyone they meet. this includes on the internet and co workers.