It very much appears as if this feature is here to stay in which case l feel l must point out examples of how this tool enables, and therefore increases, personal drama and thread derailment rather than reduces it.
In this thread l am blocked by two users who proceed to discuss me in pejorative terms in public once blocked. One user, despite immediately revising his opinion in accordance with the argument l put to him, describes me as "toxic", another as "arrogant". These are direct insults and yet as I'm blocked I'm unable to see it to report it should l wish. This is an abusive use of the block tool, and whilst l appreciate Mods are very busy right now if they have time to edit my posts as seen below then there is also time to remove derailing personal insults delivered from behind the block.
Post in thread 'Euthanasia for all' https://sanctioned-suicide.net/threads/euthanasia-for-all.77446/post-1420712
In the below thread "you are a vile person" is delivered from behind the block, again a personal insult which contravenes forum rules, again an abusive use of the block tool.
Post in thread 'So I'm following what's happening on Twitter...' https://sanctioned-suicide.net/threads/so-im-following-whats-happening-on-twitter.79233/post-1421464
As above, l get that Mods are very busy but given the admin add a fave to a post describing my output as "sanctimony, contrarian, hypocrisy" in this thread it could well appear that there are different standards applied to different users on this forum, and that the rules are not equally or consistently applied. It would also suggest, given these offensive posts were not removed, that Mods are okay with you delivering direct, unambiguous insults from behind the block as it generates no report for them to deal with, however this also enables users to publicly abuse others with no repercussion if the individual cannot see it to report it.
Regarding thread derailment due to personal drama, below is a thread totally derailed by chat about who has been blocked by whom and why, where one user speculates at length about why they've been blocked, in terms which could be seen as generating bad feeling to those particular users amongst other forum members, while these users being discussed have zero right to reply. In one instance here a user is pathologised and the reason for the blocking is discussed in quasi-diagnostic bullshit.
Post in thread 'NYT story megathread' https://sanctioned-suicide.net/threads/nyt-story-megathread.79116/post-1423191
This block tool is dreadful, is detrimental to the forum experience, and is absolutely enabling, not reducing, personal mud-slinging and drama.