Feedback on my Avatar

[magicyte]

A changed my avatar. Could I have some feedback and input on what I should do with it?

-magicyte

[TheJoshMan]

I've never understood the concept behind "hiding" your identity via the use of an avatar... why not just use an image of yourself? Maybe i'm just old fashioned. LOL

[Twey]

Very nice. Minimalistic and stylish :)

Nyne: Don't you think it's more revealing of the parts that matter to use an image or icon of your choosing rather than just showing your physical form? What you choose is much more important than what you're born with. :)

[TheJoshMan]

i suppose i can see your point, however i feel it to be more "personable" to simply use an image of yourself. This let's people know "who" they're talking to rather than what that person is like.

[thetestingsite]

Then again, sometimes the person you see is not at all what they are like (if that makes sense). ;)

[TheJoshMan]

very true.

[Twey]

I would say it lets people know what the person they're talking to looks like -- a superficial and probably irrelevant detail. The internet is good in that it lets us free ourselves of the influence of unimportant things like what we look like or what our voice sounds like, and judge and be judged on only the things that matter: 'who we are', if you will. :)

[TheJoshMan]

well i suppose if i were going to use an avatar that expressed things "about" me, then this would be it (what i'm using now)

[Twey]

Smart! I like it :)

[djr33]

Regardless of whether an avatar that is a representation of yourself is more psychologically revealing, using an image of your face does allow for the typical way to remember someone with humans-- facial recognition. Our minds are trained to do it, and I gotta admit, it's strange knowing you as someone who has a geometric pattern for a head :p
But then again, I suppose I'll just have to remember that I'm speaking to the innermost workings of your psyche, not your face, and it'll all make sense. :D

[TheJoshMan]

Hey! another guy with a "face"!

[Twey]

Heh, interestingly, Trinithis once said he had a dream about me in which my face was my avatar.

[tech_support]

Did he describe how it looked like?

[james438]

I agree that the internet allows us to be judged based on who we are as opposed to being judged by our voice or what we look like or any of a number of other external characteristics. Still, for visual representation, an avatar is handy in that we can use it to express ourselves artistically or otherwise. A picture of ourselves is a way to do that, but seldom done.

I take that back. Using an actual picture of ourselves reveals personal information about ourselves. It can show whether we are male or female, how old we are, the fact that we are willing to show what we look like to others and actually risk being stereotyped one way or another. I think the risk is rather calculated though.

The internet allows us to get to know each other first before revealing more details about ourselves to certain other people whom we have come to trust and respect. Or we may choose to never reveal what we look like or how old we are or what gender we are ;) Nothing wrong with that that I can see.

Currently I am considering using a picture of myself as an avatar, but I have not decided yet.

[magicyte]

@ Twey

Thanks for your reply. My old M avatar stank...

Plus, someone else called me "M" after I helped them in a thread. It embarassed me, so I decided to change it.

@ Josh

Thanks for your reply. I do have two problems with myself as an avatar:

1) I want to stay secure
2) I don't want to reveal my blemished face...

Seriously. Also, I couldn't help but notice how good you are with CSS in your Avatar...

Nice raging conversation, by the way.

-magicyte

[TheJoshMan]

trust me... blemishes on your face are the LAST thing you'll be worried about as time goes on! LOL

Not intended in a bad way, just stating the facts. I remember when that was a "major" concern of mine. Ah, if that were the biggest worry I had now I think I'd die happy.

[magicyte]

Also:

Josh, I love your avatar. It brings out the reality of things. :D

-magicyte

[TheJoshMan]

I think I heard the congregation say a big "AMEN!" when you said that it brings out the reality.