Photo or avatar on Net - Why should it matter?

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbbamI Yet you have an avatar pic and a sig line....?

Guilty as charged. Some people like to look at 'em, so I put it out there. I don't like to look at them, so I don't.

[Koolau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonBoyd Where is this list?

Never looked, so don't know if it exists. More of a "theoretical" on my part.

[winger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst Umm...I don't understand this statement, although I parsed it several times. Care to elaborate? Serious about what? Time to do what? (I do hope this isn't one of those "If you don't know, I'm certainly not going to tell you" moments, with which I am so drearily familiar in life).

It's my Facebook account, and my silly rules. I also block or un-friend people that become tiresome about religion or politics. Reminds me why they are former friends.............

Time to do what? Set up an account. Put information in your profile. Post a little. it's a social network. if you are uncomfortable with that, or worried that someone may steal your identity, then it's not the place for you.

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by winger I also block or un-friend people that become tiresome about religion or politics.

Preach it!

I don't understand the obsession with people posting partisan politics on FB. I mean, unless you have a political "litmus test" for friendship there, why constantly piss off half of your "friends" by making them feel like they are stupid or evil politically? I have no desire to alienate "friends" with that crap.

I haven't seen much religion, either from folks popping you over the head with a Bible (or the Torah or the Koran or whatever else) or from militant atheists. But politics? Yeah, big problem. I've blocked a few folks from my wall because they can't shut up about divisive politics.

[winger]

While it hasn't been mentioned, Twitter is between an anonymous board like this, and the very personal Facebook.

Twitter expects you to use a handle and avatar, but you approve the people that are "following" you, or that you follow.

I follow a handful of people there. All of them are involved in a sport I enjoy.

[Amethyst]

Oh! I see what you meant, now.

Winger will not approve of this, but I use an avatar and a pseudonym on Facebook, too (different from the ones I use here...I love variety), and the people I've be-friended all understand. (If I did not think they'd understand, I would not have approached them).

Some of them do go on a bit about P&R (politics and religion) but I accept that. It is part of who those friends are, and I would not change them. They are "there" for me, whether or not I agree with their P&R views.

Quote:

Originally Posted by winger It's my Facebook account, and my silly rules. I also block or un-friend people that become tiresome about religion or politics. Reminds me why they are former friends............. Time to do what? Set up an account. Put information in your profile. Post a little. it's a social network. if you are uncomfortable with that, or worried that someone may steal your identity, then it's not the place for you.

[heyduke]

I agree that there are many online that want to remain anon for many varied reasons... i too admit I like it when they use a picture of themselves but I don't as of now... my moniker is from a book I loved by Edward Abbey and my avatar represents the one of the most amazing things I have seen in my life while on a french ship in the waters off of antarctica... so although it is not a picture of me it represents a part of me...

[rescueme]

My forum name is "rescueme". My picture shows the latest dog that we obtained from our local rescue (Shetland Sheepdog) organization.

Simple enough, don't you think? ...

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyounge1956 No Facebook for me. I've never figured out the "why" of it. Maybe it's an Introvert/Extravert thing. I've only gotten a few of those "so & so wants to be your friend" but never from anybody I actually know. In fact all so far have come from people who from their names are probably halfway around the world. I have no idea where they get my name.

Yeah, same here. I value my anonymity on the internet. Facebook is just too personal and I get the impression it appeals more to extroverts. We do have some personal web sites to share with family and friends, but don't ever link them to public forums.

Audrey

[rescueme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 Yeah, same here. I value my anonymity on the internet. Facebook is just too personal and I get the impression it appeals more to extroverts. We do have some personal web sites to share with family and friends, but don't ever link them to public forums. Audrey

Add me to the list ...

I'm sure it certainly has a draw for extroverts, young folks (especially singles), and family.

Since I don't share in that realm, I don't want/need to participate...

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst While I can't say that I understand this line of thinking, it is interesting to learn that someone feels this way. Posting a pretty face, expensive item, or a picture of a beautiful landscape, just tells me that people like nice things. Not sure how it could serve to make the content of their posts any more or less compelling. Although I do find I get hungry every time I see kyounge's chocolate chip cookies Amethyst .

You have a much more charitable interpretation of other's motivations than me. I hope I'm wrong.

[TromboneAl]

Real avatars are the next-best thing to videophones.

[HFWR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy29 Preach it! I don't understand the obsession with people posting partisan politics on FB. I mean, unless you have a political "litmus test" for friendship there, why constantly piss off half of your "friends" by making them feel like they are stupid or evil politically? I have no desire to alienate "friends" with that crap. I haven't seen much religion, either from folks popping you over the head with a Bible (or the Torah or the Koran or whatever else) or from militant atheists. But politics? Yeah, big problem. I've blocked a few folks from my wall because they can't shut up about divisive politics.

I've unfriended one and hidden another on FB for the constant political spin, mostly because it was borderline hateful...

As for religion, I get a lot of that, too, but just ignore it...

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HFWR I've unfriended one and hidden another on FB for the constant political spin, mostly because it was borderline hateful... As for religion, I get a lot of that, too, but just ignore it...

Same here. I guess those that post on politics and / or religion are so firmly convinced that theirs is the one true way that they really can't go wrong or offend anyone by posting such.

[RonBoyd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover Same here. I guess those that post on politics and / or religion are so firmly convinced that theirs is the one true way that they really can't go wrong or offend anyone by posting such.

Isn't that a requirement for participation in either activity?

This is, BTW, the exact reason I question whether the two terms are not describing the same phenomenom. (Two names are probably required for political or religious reasons.)

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonBoyd Isn't that a requirement for participation in either activity?

I don't think so. It does, however, tend to be true that those who are the most consistently "political" in what they post tend to be considerably more ideological, dogmatic and intransigent with respect to their beliefs than the general public.

You don't see many non-partisan moderates, for example, posting about politics a lot. It doesn't mean they are apolitical, just that they don't pretend they know everything or that public policy salvation always comes from one side of the aisle. And these types of people tend to be much less in-your-face about it -- or make you think you are stupid or evil if you disagree with them.