Why so many dark, foreboding, negative avatars?

reply to post by BO XIAN

Hi Bo,

Good topic.

I belong to the generation just after the "Greatest Generation", the ones that fought WWII. Those were very tough, capable, able to defeat almost any adversary types. Where they got their courage and abilities, one wonders!

My friends fought in Nam and were tough wariors also although they didn't get the credit for it, thanks to the media.

My guess as to why the younger generations choose dark, daunting avatars is that they have some kind of an inner yearning to be tough fighters (like the previous generations) but they have little possibility to do so due to the natural constraints of a lawful, peaceful society. Thus the evil, dark avatar.

My choice would be to choose something not so negative and dark. Why have a forboding avatar even on a serious? forum? Makes no sense to me.

The mistake most of the population still subscribes to is thinking they can fight darkness with darkness.

This is, imo, the root cause of all problems. Darkness cannot be fought with darkness, fighting it with darkness only adds to the darkness. Thats why Id probably not choose a negative avatar, except for ocassional playful purposes.

Thanks for bringing this to light.

I like all the avatars. I am not offended by or scared of any of them.
They are as individual as the people behind them.

I have kept the same avatar since joining, it does not signify any thing, I just like it and decided to use it.

I notice that many ATSers change theirs regularly. That is cool too.


res

I chose my avatar because when I'm reading all this scary depressing crap that I am somehow drawn to, I like to be reminded that there are things in life that make up for all the negativity...my baby girl.

This is her "don't even think about it" look, that's as dark as I want to get.

Nice topic

My avatars are either my artwork, or women (dressed within the T&C!) who I find pleasing on the eye.

Sadly, some folks cannot seem to distinguish between an avatar and a person, which is kind of creepy, and definitely one for discussion.

For instance, some folks have Spider-Man as their avvy are they actually Spider Man? No.

Semper has Barack Obama on his Avvy, and a communist flag. Does that mean hes actually Obama, and a closet communist. Well the irony of that would be delicious but..... No.

My current avvy is some artwork based on Michelle Trachtenburg of Buffy fame. Because its got a woman on it, people assume I'm female. How does that work?

Its a dark and broody avatar by the way, because I like dark and broody sometimes! I was a goth in my youth, I like the shadows, the dark, esoteric things and being able to express my creativity. I think people should have fun with avvys

I'm not so sure they are an indication of a sign of the times, but maybe I'm wrong on that - my last avvy was fairly colourful.

[edit on 12/0708/08 by neformore]

My avatar is in tribute to the brave warriors who have sacrificed their lives so that we may live without fear of evil.

We live without fear or evil...?!
On which planet?

Good Post Op,
Have not read the entire thread busy sat morning, but important point! I thought you might like mine on here? :-)

This is something ive noticed too, generally within the subjective and objective sense though, gloably.

The rave dance scene stated really in the late 80's early 90's from house in the UK 9was there and involved) now it started and was all fluffy, loving, modern 60s chic if you like, rave and hugs from random starngers. That was the vibe, the reason the experience.

Well if you took any of those first particitants in that one small section of socity and transported them to some clubs and events in Berlin or Amstrerdam today, and they saw images of Nuclear bombs and death destruction they could see on the projectors,


as apposed to butterflies and smiley faces! they had just been dancing too,

They would alos ten be further shocked by the fact that everyone had their head covered and most of their face by hoods, even more strange

then they would be appaled to see everyone basically in their own bubble looking t the floor dancing, not in a group experience that they had just been transported from!

Then the words dark negative, forboding etc exate opposite!

Just some analogies of the objective nature of this trend in one small slice of global society.

It does seem to be growing and happening!

Kind Regards

Smiley faces to all :-)

Elf

And I thought mine was just to give thought and humor to the reader...I guess some would think that it me on the tricycle. But my intent was that the child was more of the types of people that cry and complain without offering suggestions or taking actions to solve problems. I have one of Harrison Ford in costume sitting between takes on the set of Raiders of the Lost Ark, but could never crop it to fit to my satisfaction. I have been thinking of doing a new one for a change of pace. Just dread finding one that I like as I viewed thousands of pics to choose this one.

Saddly I liked Plucky's cat-girl avatar, although I admit it does make some of your posts read more like they were said in character as opposed to self-expression. And I have U2U neformore as to the identity of that very attractive redhead he used for quite some time in various pictures. Because she looked familar but I couldn't quite place her.

As far as a dark and scary avatar that I did use:


It is from a postage stamp...says something I think.

Since we're talking about avatars maybe someone could tell me how to get the chosen picture centered in the Avatar box? I'm obviously not computer savvy and I have been trying to figure it out since I registered.

I dunno, maybe I'll wear the gray flannel for a while. Dang pants are too tight, though.

I'll agree with the general consensus that ATS membership is by and large paranoid and conspiratorial in nature. My current avatar is on the dark side, but it's far from foreboding.

My previous avatar, on the other hand was quite the opposite:



I base my avatars on things that resonate with me. I'm more of a blue girl myself, so I don't think I'll be sporting any of AD's pink dreams anytime soon!

reply to post by Trustnoone1987


The picture you want to use needs to be resized to where the width does not exceed 160 pixels. If you link directly to another image somewhere online and it is wider than 160 pixels, the avatar will be cut off when you see it in your posts.

U2U me a link to the image you want and I can resize it for you if you don't know how or if you don't have Adobe Photoshop.

So what does my Avatar say about me? Hmmmm..............
A weird, scary, three eyed man in an alien enviornment, kinda the way I feel when I go to Wal-Mart!
After the way I have been treated by the general public, I kinda wish I did look like my avatar in real life.
At least people would have a reason to stare then!

i absolutely love my avatar but ive only had it about 3 days but its got to be one of the best ones surely

Mine is a nice avatar. I make funky art pieces and I love anything that has to do with the brain.

reply to post by DarthChrisious


BIG THANKS TO ALL for your thoughtful comments and responses. I hope we can keep them coming . . . . and possibly learn something and even make some productive conclusions of application to at least ATS if not some useful social commentary on our times.

I think your tiger, DarthChrisious is a neat one.

Technically, it is, to me somewhat on the dark side--at least some violent potential stuff there from a kind of dark something.

Yet, on the whole, I have a pretty positive response to it. Not sure what that means combinging this sentence with the 2 above! LOL.

I think I like the clean lines of it and that it's not overpowering. I'm not a fan of black but somehow the red and black together make a decent combo in your avatar. The red adds some life and energy to the black, imho.

Thanks for your post.

reply to post by BO XIAN


Because there are many dark, foreboding, negative people out there that are desperate for attention and will get it any way they can.

Originally posted by Rumrunner
I'm saying my avatar is a statement for freedom, no one owns me and never will....plus it's damn sexy to boot!

Thanks for your kind reply.

Hmmmmmmmmmm

I still don't see nor get any direct connection with the statement above and the avatar chosen. I could imagine a wide variety of avatars supporting the freedom theme and the 'not owning me' theme . . . without being anywhere near the 'dark' 'violent' tones of the one you chose.

I guess I'm saying I still feel/think I'm missing somethings that must have gone into your choice.

Sexy? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm . . . what has sexy become in the last 50 years from what it was 50 years ago?

And sexy to whom for what reasons?

What buttons are being pushed?

What associations are being played?

And played like a piano or like a puppet or like wind chimes or like what?

What has sexxy become . . . in our era . . . and by what means . . .

Darker? More violent?

What is that about? What kind of statement is that about us as individuals and as a culture?

Fascinating issues, to me.

Pondering.

Thanks.

Nice thread, its nice to see how people view their avatars.

mine says a lot about me,
This is what mine means to me. I like ninjas and how they are but shadows to the rest of the world( kinda like me) I want to be a sniper, I usually close my left eye to look through the scope(get it?), I'm always tired or sleepy (hence the sleepy eye), dark back ground, (because not all of my friends truly know me), and the cool hair( because I can be the coolest dude once you get to know me) and the green vest because I like the military.(it all goes together with the sniper/ninja type persona) .

[edit on 12-7-2008 by miguelbmx]

reply to post by semperfortis

We have here a site dedicated to Conspiracies, UFO's and other things of Mystery. As a rule conspiracies are not bright shiny examples of goodness; but the darker side of a subject

I look at conspiracies from two sides.
One side is for secrecy and one side is for revelation.
I use the grail to illustrate that it is a personal quest, to find truth and in the end is light.