Amateur Avatar Psychology

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Inspired

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Why did you choose your avatar?

Tell us, and then we'll tell you the REAL reason.


I chose mine because it makes me think of peaceful days of fishing off the dock in Canada (at my uncle's place) and our wonderful family camping trips. I love nature.
 

aspier

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There is hardly any 'middle space'

Funny thing about an avatar is that once you have selected it you start 'acting' it. It's kind of you who is trying to 'live' up to an imaginary role pattern. I swicth Avatar's regularly because people built up certain communication scripts in their reactions to it. They too built up 'personality traight' to answer to the 'casted' Avatar personality. This is a fruitless bussiness, hampering 'web personality growth'. Reactions and answers become stereotyped.

Example: Zaza's got a cool Greek philosopher and watch how he (his Avatar personality) acts cool and lazy ... yet of course his own personality is no fool. In his case he has managed to be rather stimulating in his short posts. This is an achievement. However his 'real' personality is also caught up in the role of the Avatar and has its limits.

Then there's William's cowboy. Cowboy = gunslinger, dangerous, lone rider. Now look at this: William knows a lot about French poetry. We have had exchanges about that. Yet some posts ago he posted with great bravour something that, when looked at carefully, connects the word 'hate' with 'the French'. What has happened there? I'd say it was his Avatar that has 'dictated' the attitude which sparked off the remark.

Same with me and the silly face I have used. It puts me up to 'so-called' witty remarks. I play the 'role' then, become silly! I have in the past tried 'womanish' avatar's, feet and so on. Well, I 'became' a woman! In the end I had shared close bonds between real woman posters, hunted on men, chaving them, etc. Weird game and dangerous in the end.

But there's this problem of the Web. There is hardly any 'middle space' between communicator and reader. It's a 'straight shoot' thing. In how far can one be 'open' and 'honest'? Real pic Avatar's is an attempt to be straight but this is also a daring road. Mostly women do this. I'm too sporting my face lately but have already thought 'no go' and will change it again, etc. People like your face or they pis on it. Question really is: Has it any sence to communicate on the web what so ever and überhaupt? And then, to what depth? And blah blah you know what I mean. Surrogate stuff etc.
 

JoeEkaitis

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It's a placeholder until I can put up my own:

littlebook.jpg


And now, I'm one post closer.
 

Poppy

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Mine is Dawn, the Goddess of Birth and Rebirth. She's the creation of Joseph Michael Linsner, and I'm a big fan of his and of his character Dawn (obviously). Plus, she's a redhead, and so am I. If you knew her story and my story, it'd make more sense, but that'd take too long to explain. :)
 
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Cabria

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Before I could have a custom Avatar, I chose Looney Toons "Taz". Then I went with the pic of drums (which incidentally, is the same pic of the brand name drum kit I have now, right down to the colour ! (Premier Cabria) What can I say, I just love my drums! ( I think it's the Yin Yang thing that plays off my writing.) What do you think? (or am I just a crazy, wild woman?!!!) I'm also the cusp sign of Gemini/Cancer which makes me all the more complicated to figure out! Ha!

Happy drumming (er, I mean writing!)

Debbie :D
 
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Liam Jackson

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When I first came to AW, I saw Uncle Jim had posted a photo. (this was long before the pics were known as avatars.) I thought it was a pretty neat idea for a writer, because people could then associate a face with the work. So, I did likewise.
 

Poppy

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I've tried using a photo of myself as an avatar, but I get tired of looking at my goofy grin. As a compromise, it's on my profile so I don't have to look at it all the time. I wish I had a photo of myself that looked like I was serious and deep in thought or something. Oh well...
 

Poppy

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Yes, it does. I'd take you very seriously based on that photo. Is that what you'd want?
 

Sarita

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I wanted to use my own pic, but hate giving away too much. I compromised with 1/2 :cool:

Seriously, I want people to connect a face with my writing and conversations.
 

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poppyhullings said:
Yes, it does. I'd take you very seriously based on that photo. Is that what you'd want?

To paraphrase Samuel Goldwyn, I don't care if the book makes a single red cent. I just want every man, woman, child and library in the world to buy it.
 
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Maryn

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I just scanned what photos I had that were cool, cropped one, and voila! I had one of myself for about thirty seconds, but I looked so freakin' tired...

Maryn, permanently tired
 

aka eraser

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Shameless book plug. :)

If I was epter, technologically, I'd probably change it more often. But a friend sized this one and turned it into whatever it had to be turned into to work and I hate to bug her with other pics.
 

rich

I certainly won't. I'm trying to be a permanent traveler on the enlilghtened road.
 

Inspired

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I was kind of hoping some smart aleck would've jumped at the chance by now.
 

Poppy

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I would only dare to evaluate myself. I don't know anyone else here well enough.

I use the purdy redhead because I'm uncomfortable with my own looks. I use her as a mask.

:)
 

MacAllister

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Good Heavens, Poppy! But you have a terrific face! (And you match both your posting "voice" and your avatar--which makes me smile, broadly)
 

William Haskins

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avatar? schmavatar!

as you can see, i chose my 10th grade yearbook photo. though i've aged some since then, i've still maintained my slim figure, and switched to filtered cigarettes.
 

Poppy

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Thanks, Mac. I don't know, I just don't like looking at pictures of myself. I'll show you one of me as a kid if I can find it. I actually like it.

Found it: http://www.poppy.celaine.com/images/Me3.jpg

I was 3 years old, had strawberry blond hair, and don't ask me what was so funny, I don't know.
 
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Julie Worth

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aspier said:
Funny thing about an avatar is that once you have selected it you start 'acting' it. It's kind of you who is trying to 'live' up to an imaginary role pattern.

This is why I’ve procrastinated on posting an image—names have enough baggage. I’ve posted on other boards, using a variety of monikers, and a certain personality always develops. It’s like I’ve created a character, and then I have to be consistent. But names are nothing compared to images. I’ve noticed this with my book collection—I organize them on my shelves by the way they look. Often I’ll forget the title and the author’s name, but I remember it was a big red book with a picture of a volcano. So I’ve got a shelf with big red books, another with small brown books. People think I’m an idiot decorator, but it’s just my filing system. I’ve even written from an image. I began a novel with a certain cover in mind, and that was a stronger organizing element than the working title or my flimsy notions of plot. But then it got to be a drag, because the book veered away from the picture. When I finally changed it, it was such a relief!
 

mommie4a

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I chose mine because I didn't want to put my real photo up (I'm with the crowd that thinks it's weird to see your own pic everywhere) but I really like the illustration my friend did for my website. It's like me - a little askance, pencil behind the ear (instead of on the paper) but a "hey, I don't have a clue what's going on and I'm still happy!" smile. That would be me!
 
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