 - Last login: 1 hour agoElledark
- Elle is a single woman from Vaguely Virtuous In The, Virgin Islands (U.S.).
- Likes 2,344 pages, 128 videos, 32 photos • 2,256 fans • Received 541 reviews
- Member since Jul 25, 2007
... she's wide-eyed and innocent, but keeps a sharp little switch-blade hidden in her pink faux-leather purse to prick pomposity and pretentiousness. Mostly though she just wants to have a good time. Please note, if you message me and I do not answer it always means I am not at my computer. Even if Stumble shows me as being online (which it sometimes does incorrectly) I may be either wandering aimlessly or hiding in the cupboard to escape my aunt or performing some menial task for the cat ..:)).. ellie .. (P.s. - I don't really 'stumble' in the conventional way. Each page is a different 'theme' so whatever is on the first page isn't what the blog is 'about'.
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I think I'm in love with your avatar ! Seriously !
Avatars. Voodoo psychology. Is it the most crucial choice you can make on SU ? Is it totally irrelevant ? Lets see ..
Your initial choice of avatar, the image that represents you to the community, may depend on why you're using SU and how trusting (or naive) you are. For example, if your only interest is exploring websites then theres no obvious reason why your avatar should be the 'real' you. Its not relevant. In fact common sense tells you that it is very foolish to post personal pictures online unless you know the risks and have a very good reason for doing so. One friend of mine posted her picture (head and shoulders, smiling sweetly) and subsequently came across it on an X-rated site sandwiched between pics of a full-on orgy and a hirsute crotch. A bit of a shock. Its your choice though. On the other hand if your main use of SU is social, as a 'dating' or 'making friends' medium in the spirit of Facebook, then it may make sense to post your own picture because in that context it would be relevant and of some benefit to you. You make a judgment in your own best interests.
So what kind of avatars do people use ? Well some post their own (sometimes photo-shopped) pictures. Others choose celebrities because they like them (I number among my friends and acquaintances Monroe, Pitt, Clooney et al). Some choose a non-celebrity human image that is friendly or sexy or funny or attractive. Others go for non-human art or cartoons or abstractions. All of these options are perfectly fine and its up to you what you choose, as long as its not obscene. People become very attached to their avatars though and its seen as bad etiquette to swipe or duplicate someone elses. Be original.
Does the choice of avatar make any difference to 'popularity' ? Who cares ! Thats not why we're here but the question does seem to bother some people unduly. Well, it probably makes more difference than some think and less than others imagine. An offensive or intimidating avi, even if its not obscene, can put people off. A boring one won't attract casual visitors. Spammers frequently use 'sexy girl' or 'handsome guy' avatars in the hope of drawing more 'traffic'. Does it work ? Sure, an attractive avatar might encourage some people to casually visit your site but that in itself achieves nothing and in fact if they arrive at a site devoid of content or full of spam they're rapidly going to thumb it down and leave for good. Only quality content will make people want to return.
People can become very fond of others avatars and some almost fall in love with them. Thats disturbing but usually harmless. Unrealistic expectations can cause irritation though. A few people arrive here with a 'Facebook' mindset expecting everyone to be looking to hook-up, even if their stated interests specifically exclude dating. They don't 'get' that SU is *not* Facebook or a dating network. They're the ones who always totally ignore the entire content of your blog and start with "hey, cool picture, is that really you ", to which the standard response from many will be "mind your own business" or "go away". Whether it is or isn't, if thats a strangers prime concern then some (me for one) will just blank them automatically. As a small aside, its easy to feel pressured by the pushy and the inquisitive but what you post here is all anyone has any right to know. You don't have to satisfy their curiosity beyond that. If people who choose to approach you don't like that fact its *their* problem. Be polite, but never be afraid to say "mind your own business" or block any pests that persist. They're being rude and impolite. You're not.
Anyway, simply a few random thoughts. I'm certainly no authority but I find Avatars and how people respond to them a fascinating area of SU psychology. Your take on it may differ and thats fine. Just something to think about ..:))
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