To Block or Not to Block?

If you use MSN Messenger, or other such internet chat facilities, you will know of that great ability to be able to 'block' individual people so that they can't see you are online.

It's quite useful at times I find - although I've learned more and more just to say 'sorry, can't talk now - I'm a bit busy' or even just plain old don't bother going online!

I wonder what life would be like if we had the ability to 'block' others from seeing or speaking to us. Or maybe I don't need to wonder; could it possibly be that many of humankind already do this. Let's take that age old question of, "How are you?" and the typical reply of "Fine" or "Okay". It seems to be that the 'blocking culture' is one that has been around for many, many, years. In the everyday physical world we prevent people from truly seeing us - that is, the real us, as we are, with all the complexities of thoughts and struggles in life. The difference between that and the cyber-world? In the latter, people may not even know you are sat at a computer; in the physical world, other people at least get the chance to see another's face, and are given the opportunity to react and respond to what might be a face crying out for help; even though words may say otherwise.