Whats in an Avatar ?
By ARM
@responsiveme (22923)
India
August 15, 2016 8:54am CST
Plenty.
But lets begin at the beginning.
First, the meaning. Well , same words have different meanings and it depends on the context or the familiarity of the term with the reader.
For me the first association that would come with 'avatar' would be -dashavatar.
In Hindu mythology these are the ten incarnations of the deity Vishnu, the preserver.Whenever there has been chaos and unrest in the mortal world, Vishnu is said to have come down to earth in these forms (avatars) to restore order and set mankind back the right track, so as to say. There are beautiful dances depicting these ten avatars across the different cultures of India.
An interesting interpretation is that this is analogous to Darwin's theory of evolution from simple to complex life forms.
To fast forward, to about three months ago.I stumbled upon this site and signed myself in a very run of the mill way.
When I logged in however my eyes were instantly drawn to a small picture showing a colourful garden of flowers. Then I read the post next to it..which featured two girls who were rather silly. Their exploits were narrated in rhyme,which was funny and witty. I was hooked.
Later on, I found that the garden picture was an avatar. I now understood that this site allowed people to remain incognito if they wished . This was interesting, an avatar instead of a profile pic
.
Pets and cartoons featured a plenty and usually they are of objects which would define the person. There are many innovative ones , including some attention grabbing animated examples. Over time, I keep wondering about remaining anonymous , does it give one more freedom to express themselves ?
I wonder if someone can give free rein to the multiple personalities hidden inside them by appearing in more than one avatar?.
And is it possible that the same person makes more than one appearance here in different avatars
I think I'll shroud myself in an air of mystery and get an avatar.
Photo: DashAvatar...Public domain.(Wikepedia)
.
Pets and cartoons featured a plenty and usually they are of objects which would define the person. There are many innovative ones , including some attention grabbing animated examples. Over time, I keep wondering about remaining anonymous , does it give one more freedom to express themselves ?
I wonder if someone can give free rein to the multiple personalities hidden inside them by appearing in more than one avatar?. And is it possible that the same person makes more than one appearance here in different avatars
I think I'll shroud myself in an air of mystery and get an avatar.
Photo: DashAvatar...Public domain.(Wikepedia)32 people like this
33 responses
@LadyDuck (502208)
• Italy
15 Aug 16
@responsiveme No, I am not dark haired, I am more blond than brown, henna is not for me.
5 people like this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
15 Aug 16
Its a pretty one and you are dark haired too.One of our first discussion was on use of henna
3 people like this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
16 Aug 16
@LadyDuck I thought you were dark haired.
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
15 Aug 16
Some people constantly change their avatar, but I've always stuck with the same one. I think it makes me recognisable, and it's nothing to do with hiding behind it. I do peek out in my posts occasionally
You are changing things round a bit, but I can't make out what your new avatar is. I get the ARM is your initials, but Arundhati is such a pretty name.
You are changing things round a bit, but I can't make out what your new avatar is. I get the ARM is your initials, but Arundhati is such a pretty name.4 people like this
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
16 Aug 16
@responsiveme Yes of course I recognised myself.
I can see it's a bookworm now, but it's sort of chopped off isn't it?
.
I can see it's a bookworm now, but it's sort of chopped off isn't it?2 people like this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
16 Aug 16
Its a bookworm.
Did you recognize your avatar in my discussion...and those girls cropped up again.
Actually i'm finding it strange too , but whats done is done
2 people like this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
16 Aug 16
@jaboUK I noticed it too. I just copied and pasted, it didn't fit in properly...don't have the skills required.
1 person likes this
@sishy7 (27166)
• Australia
16 Aug 16
@responsiveme Yes, because I first saw it on my notifications which only show your avatar and "ARM" without the username...
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
17 Aug 16
Well at least those of us that already met you after following, Janet's, lead, can put your face in place of whatever avatar you decide to use or change to. For me, I've been writing for quite a while and although I've not used my name the whole time, I do usually use my actual picture. Recently I tried to change it to something more current, but the picture I used ended up blurred. So currently it's as it is. Eventually, I may replace that with another picture of my mug.
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
24 Aug 16
@responsiveme At first I thought you were talking about Janet, but then I'm not sure it could be me. But I don't remember whether I met you before I changed mine to what it is now? I'm not trying to be incognito. I'd like an updated picture that works well and don't have time to get one.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
24 Aug 16
The same here with our avatar, I have the person in my mind even though I'm looking at the foliage.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
24 Aug 16
@MarshaMusselman About you, I saw your photo before you changed to this one.:)
1 person likes this
@sol_cee (38669)
• Philippines
15 Aug 16
@responsiveme Seriously, is Mech short for Mechanical? Like mechanical engineer?
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
15 Aug 16
@sol_cee
Ok thats a fairly common question. Mech, the ch is pronounced as in cheerio is my husband's surname which I took on after my marriage. They are a part of the Kachari tribe which immigrated to India fromBurma.
Rao is my maiden surname.
My hubby is a mechanical engineer and so the question is fairly common to him too
Whats with sol_cee and your frequent changes of location. Or do you prefer anonymity? Then I won't intrude.
2 people like this
@Macarrosel (7498)
• Philippines
18 Aug 16
I used an avatar in bubblews before for I had haters there and I don't want them to recognize me. But I prefer to use my own photo here for some good reasons.
2 people like this
@SIMPLYD (90717)
• Philippines
25 Aug 16
@responsiveme It's not an avatar . It's my real picture .
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
24 Aug 16
I like this avatar of yours. you've seen my pic too:)
1 person likes this
@rebelann (117211)
• El Paso, Texas
19 Aug 16
That was well said, I personally love the internet but I do not trust it therefore I traverse the web with caution and keep my identity incognito until I have made a connection with someone I feel I can trust. This does not come easy to me so I have only a few trusted internet friends.
As for my avatars, they are always my pets, they have no desire to be incognito.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (117211)
• El Paso, Texas
20 Aug 16
yes, my furbabies are so much cuter than I am plus I don't take selfies @responsiveme1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
20 Aug 16
@rebelann I don't take selfies too....though we did a groupie recently when four friends got together after 6 years..
Well, we've seen the 'eyes of rebelann'
1 person likes this
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
15 Aug 16
I used to use avatars wherever i went, and I usually switched them fairly often, just to be expressive. But I like just using my own face nowdays. After all, it is me sitting here typing. It is fun to look at different avatars though and try to figure out why people chose the ones they did.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
15 Aug 16
Thats what I think too. Why do you think I used this avatar?
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174296)
• United States
16 Aug 16
Hmmm... okay, I think I understand now. Or maybe not. IDK for sure.
I use an avatar my daughter made from a real picture of me. She was playing Sims and decided to make our family. She stretched a real picture of me over one of her Sims characters. She caught DE as he was sitting down one day and snapped his picture. Then she gave him to me. I am one of the plain people here on myLot. There is nothing hidden or exciting about me. People on myLot see me, just the same as they would if they were to meet me in real life.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174296)
• United States
23 Aug 16
@responsiveme Yes, Sims is a pc game. The original Sims gave came out not long after Pretty got her first computer. She has gotten each upgrade/update and each new release as they became available.
Here is a link, if you are interested in looking:
The Sims video games from Electronic Arts, the source for the highest rated and exciting titles like The Sims 3 Generations.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
16 Aug 16
I have absolutely no idea what Sims is.Is it a software.?
2 people like this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
23 Aug 16
@DaddyEvil I got the idea as other people have also made their avatar from Sims.
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Aug 16
avatar's become your face on here. I may use my face, but others may not, it's all good. I still recognize their 'face' even it it's a pic of a cartoon cat or something.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Aug 16
@responsiveme this is where I note that swapping your avatar alot can hurt your pennies here, since we 'look' for faces we know before one's we do not that imagine many now associate with you rather than names
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
17 Aug 16
@Jessicalynnt i'm not making much progress with pennies anyway:)
1 person likes this
@Vivenda (583)
• Portsmouth, England
16 Aug 16
@responsiveme It's a " life simulation" computer game that is now in its fourth version. Some people (such as myself) have played all four versions. We've wasted a lot of time thereby, but also had a lot of fun and made a lot of friends all over the world. Unenlightened folk such as my husband liken it to playing dollhouse!
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
16 Aug 16
@Vivenda As long as you had fun , it can't be waste of time. Well my husband says" your MyLot' as if I'm playing some kid game too.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
16 Aug 16
I haven't heard of that,is it a software?
2 people like this
@Daljinder (23193)
• Bangalore, India
15 Aug 16
Oh okay so you have decided to go incognito! You have been hooked in to this avatar thingy too, eh?
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
17 Aug 16
@responsiveme You will be incognito for those that won't remember what follows the @ when looking at members and for those that don't remember your actual picture.
I keep track of those that I visit with so I can see at a glance how long it's been that I've read their works, or that they've spent time at my place. That helps me know whether or not to put on tea or coffee or what type of delight to provide, like a scone or donut. 
When I keep track, for those that I don't know well or those with longer names as you had before, I'll also put the part following the @ to help my brain out. Eventually, I'll remember them by their given names.
When I keep track, for those that I don't know well or those with longer names as you had before, I'll also put the part following the @ to help my brain out. Eventually, I'll remember them by their given names.3 people like this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
15 Aug 16
yes, hooked into the avatar aspect of myLot but the incognito bit has failed
3 people like this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
26 May 17
Thanks for reading but this is not the post about me...It's my second post
1 person likes this
@Nitinsharma (417)
•
26 May 17
@responsiveme doesn't matter.. I like the content :)
1 person likes this
@epiffanie (11327)
• Australia
5 Sep 16
I used to have my photo as my profile pic .. but now I use this pic I took from a docu I watched on the tele of a female bird checking out the nest decorated by the male bird..
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
7 Sep 16
And now you've changed back to Bess pic :)
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
26 Aug 16
I just use a picture, I don't need to be incognito lol
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
26 Aug 16
@responsiveme Yes it does throw us off when people change, we get used to recognizing them lol
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
26 Aug 16
lol, I recognize the pictures of the different people now
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23660)
•
14 Sep 16
@responsiveme Good on you.. I did have problems spying you out until you mentioned that you had become a worm..
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
27 Aug 16
Yes it does, but the people with who I correspond regularly caught on :)
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
2 Sep 16
thats the beauty of an avatar...to keep ones real life a secret....1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
18 Sep 16
Your picture looks good...and you can change in future if you want:)
1 person likes this
