Here's the hilarious thing: ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS APOLOGIZE. Literally. If you can work out your problems with whoever muted you, you're likely to be unmuted. And that's the thing that you - and everyone aligned with you - is missing. Hubski's method incentivizes civility. Try it. Say, "hey eightbitsamurai, I just realized I've been a horrendous dick to you. I feel bad. Can we work this out so that you un-mute me? 'cuz I feel like I have some intelligent things to say on your posts." I'll bet you get better results than the last ten thousand words you've typed.However, when that person is able to completely lock you out of a conversation such that you're forced to 'create your own small island' just to get your opinion heard, there's a problem.