Which do you prefer ? Real Picture or Avatar?
By zandi458
@zandi458 (28102)
Malaysia
January 10, 2010 1:05pm CST
It is good to see few lotters are now more daring to come out in their real pictures. I prefer to remain anonymous under the cover of an avatar. I will explain why? Firstly, I am not photogenic. That might not be a welcome news but honestly I have people comments that my picture doesn't look the real person I am. Some friends agree that my face looks like a full moon, so round and so obese looking. Well, I agree that I have gained much weight as I enter the big 50 onwards. 
I like people to make a judgment on my words and not on my appearance. My words have brought me closer to some people but am not ready to reveal my real self by pasting my pictures here, what if that gives them an undesirable impression of how I look. What if I have answered some discussions that are pretty amusing views and people will surely know who I am if I have my real picture here. That is embarrassing for me. I rather not take the chance.
Since mylot is also in google search we are exposed to the whole world and that makes me more reluctant to put my real picture as I fear my family or people I know stumble upon some of my too personal and uncensored topics that might leave their mouths agape reading something that they least expect coming from me. I am not known to be someone that washes dirty linens in public. Mylot is exceptional for me as this is the only place I can be an open book but not in real life. I prefer first impressions of me come from my answers instead of my looks. Would you like to keep others guessing who is the person behind that avatar you have? Would you one day decide to put your real picture here?
I like people to make a judgment on my words and not on my appearance. My words have brought me closer to some people but am not ready to reveal my real self by pasting my pictures here, what if that gives them an undesirable impression of how I look. What if I have answered some discussions that are pretty amusing views and people will surely know who I am if I have my real picture here. That is embarrassing for me. I rather not take the chance.
Since mylot is also in google search we are exposed to the whole world and that makes me more reluctant to put my real picture as I fear my family or people I know stumble upon some of my too personal and uncensored topics that might leave their mouths agape reading something that they least expect coming from me. I am not known to be someone that washes dirty linens in public. Mylot is exceptional for me as this is the only place I can be an open book but not in real life. I prefer first impressions of me come from my answers instead of my looks. Would you like to keep others guessing who is the person behind that avatar you have? Would you one day decide to put your real picture here?12 people like this
30 responses
@missweety (626)
• Latvia
10 Jan 10
Hello! I prefer avatar, it looks more interesting and it can tell more about the person because looks sometimes are not important or sometimes you don't want to share this personal information (photo) with everybody else 
. I don't use my real picture Happy myloting!
. I don't use my real picture Happy myloting!
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
10 Jan 10
i THINK THAT'S YOUR RIGHT TO DO WHATEVER U WANT ABOUT YOUR AVATAR. i HAVE NEVER LIKED TO HAVE MY PICTURE MADE. The main reason i don't have anything as an avatar is that i don't know how to do it. A friend of mine on mylot offered to help me fix one but figured i'd screw it up somehow, lol. It really makes no difference to me whether i have one or not. What people look like is not of importance to me when it comes to liking them or not. Hope your sunday is going well.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
10 Jan 10
I have no interest in putting my real picture in this virtual world. The freedom I enjoy by hiding behind my avatar is a good part of the lure of working here on mylot. I am basically a very shy person but I don't seem to suffer from that here.
@Ambitiouslyleiah (591)
• United States
10 Jan 10
I like having my real pic up with my fiance in it. Showing what is important to me, and well, I guess I like the picture. hehe
3 people like this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
11 Jan 10
I love my avatar as a dear freind made it for me.
As to seeing what I look like I do have I think one pic of me and my hubby in photos .lol
Really cant help what ya look like and no one should make a dission on what you look like.
It should only be gauged on what you right .
I beleive the real person comes out in your writtings!
1 person likes this
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
11 Jan 10
Hi Zandi!
All the reasons given by you for not revealing your real picture in your avatar seem logical to me. I would also not like to put my real picture as avatar. In fact I refrain from uploading my real pictures on any of the social networking site. Those who are my close on-line friends, I do not mind sending them my real picture. In that case it becomes one-to-one affair and I know that my picture in the computers of my dear friens is safe. I have not changed my avatar ever since I joined mylot nor do I intend to at any stage and won't upload my real picture in any case.
Have a great day!
Deepak
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
11 Jan 10
Very true and I totally agree with you.
1 person likes this
@shamsta19 (3224)
• United States
12 Jan 10
We used to use our real pictures up here and in fact I have several posted here. A while back we had some issues with racial comments and a bunch of us decided we were not going to let our discussions be influenced by race (initially anyway), so we all choose pears as our avatars. We went on to design all types of pears and mine had dreadlocks even!!! Either way I just got used to not having my picture up here and instead now just choose funny avatars. but that doesn't mean one day I might put my mug back up there seeing as I am so handsome.
Plus I change avatars with my moods so one never knows....
Plus I change avatars with my moods so one never knows....1 person likes this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
12 Jan 10
I like your avatar in your profile page. Can't people just be sane enough to leave racial issues behind them? Afterall we are all the same race (human race). The beauty of having avatars is you can interchange them and they have many nice ones in the net. Hope to see the handsome you one day decorating your page.
1 person likes this
@shamsta19 (3224)
• United States
12 Jan 10
I change like the seasons... My face is bound to pop up again..
@Citizen_Stuart (2016)
•
10 Jan 10
I prefer to use an avatar. First of all, I'm not particularly photogenic - not that I'm hideously ugly (it's pure coincidence that small children run away from me screaming), but I just don't seem to take a good picture. The other reason is that my avatar gives you a bit of an insight into my interests.
1 person likes this
@Citizen_Stuart (2016)
•
11 Jan 10
It might be to do with that chainsaw I carry around with me. ;-)
1 person likes this
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
17 Jan 10
As you can see the picture on my avatar is not really me…Didn’t you know? Well there you are (LOL)! I love cats and that is the only reason I chose it; not just to remain anonymous. I have my photograph on other sites, on my blog and Facebook so if people have an interest in what I look like the photos are out there for all to see. I quite like to see what other MyLotters look like not to judge others’ looks or anything like that but because it makes me feel as though I know that person a little better. I am certainly not going to knock anyone who doesn’t have their photo up because I don’t either and at the end of the day, it is not that important it’s the thoughts and what is in the heart that counts.
1 person likes this
@Roseo8 (2947)
• India
11 Jan 10
Hello Zandi......I too prefer to use an avatar rather than my real pic mostly because I agree with the later part of your explanation regarding the need for anonimity from the whole world and also from our near and dear and also it pays to be cautious in this big bad world......Sunce we unwittingly reveal so many personal details and thoughts in our discussions I prefer to do it in the guise of my avatar....
But I must confess I like to see the real picture of the person whom I am befriending in mylot since a face reflects a person's personality,though very often I resort to judging a person by his or her discussions if they tend to use avatar pics.
Wishing you a HAPPY 2010......
1 person likes this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
11 Jan 10
Hi Rose, It is nice to see you back once again. I think many people are not too keen to put up their pictures here for the simple reason of wanting to keep their privacy. So a nice avatar like what you are having here is good enough to represent them. Happy new year to you.
1 person likes this
@sachii315 (488)
• Japan
12 Jan 10
Hi zandi458! I know the dangers of posting our real pictures in the internet but I can't help it. 
Here in mylot I posted my real pictures to showcase my culture so I posted my picture wearing kimono on my avatar. Happy mylotting! 
Here in mylot I posted my real pictures to showcase my culture so I posted my picture wearing kimono on my avatar. Happy mylotting! 
@creationhub (3066)
• Malaysia
11 Jan 10
Although I have not posted my real photo, I do agree that a real photo may allow others to know that we are genuine. I supposed if mylot.com awards a higher incentive for those who post their real photos, this site may become more professional. This is my two senses of thoughts but it does sound good. At least to me.
only verify the account with pictures of the person holding the site name. Maybe mylot can implement the same to make this place more interesting.
@elitess (5070)
• Ipswich, England
11 Jan 10
Hi there Zandi.
I do use a real picture hear, i have nothing to hide on mylot as i know i haven't been naughty :) I use avatars or other pictures in other sites, like the ones where i play some games, but then there i have a different user name so there is no problem in them finding who i am.
1 person likes this
@unique1p (5)
•
11 Jan 10
i usually refer real photo....because with the photo we can recognize the personality of the person....in the case the pics is not real then it can easily recognized.
avatar can not help us to recognize a person...ya but is very helpful for dishonest people..i not mean to say that all the member whouse avatar are dishonest but the person undercover in avatar have high chance of dishonest...
1 person likes this
@vivianchen (2646)
• China
11 Jan 10
Hi Zandi548,
I just watched the movie AVATAR last night. What a great movie! I think i still perfer to have my avatar on, some of the reason are the same with you. As mylot is welcome people from all over the world, it's not hard for people that i know happen to be here.
I am actually worry about my name could be recongazie by someone i know from work or so. 
I like putting my dog's picture on it, she is so cute!
I like putting my dog's picture on it, she is so cute!1 person likes this
@agito121 (176)
• United Arab Emirates
11 Jan 10
i prefer using an avatar as to cover my identity it's nothing personal but i just feel more comfortable, knowing that people wont make fun of my face, because i'm pretty chubby, i wont mind doing so but it just makes me uncomfortable.
It's also embarrasing for the whole world to see my picture but in the future i would consider putting up my picture if for a good cause and good reason.
1 person likes this
@xxHellsxxangelxx (106)
• Netherlands
11 Jan 10
Hi I think it's a personal matter to use your real foto op to use an avatar.
I wouldn't like to use my reeal foto'. not because i'm not confident about how i look, it's only a choice you make yourself.
1 person likes this
