What is an avatar? How does it differ from the web avatar? The term “avatar” comes from Hindu philosophy and simply means “incarnation” of a divine being, or the bodily manifestation of God. Hinduism also has various categories of these avatars. The word has become in vogue with the New Age thinkers, including self-motivation “business” seminars that now use the term for transformation of self.
With the proliferation of users on the internet, it is no longer easy to maintain one’s unique web identity. With so many Smiths on the net, choosing Joe Blogg as a name is no longer sustainable. So the word “avatar” has now become a web terminology where Joe Blogg can portray himself through a chosen image that he draws himself or gets someone to draw an image that he feels represents his true self. For example a picture of a Bulldog in 3D could become one’s avatar because that image depicts fearlessness, a person not to be tampered with or simply a cuddly flabby pet! To put it plainly, a web avatar is the “web presence” of one’s persona, one’s branding, a representation of one’s significant other or the real you!
On the positive, a web avatar is a portable web identity that is easily recognisable by others. But what baffles me is one’s need to really hide behind this “avatar-mask” - the Phantom you. Why not put up your own photo or your silhouette? Oh, one cites privacy and anonymity as reasons for the one’s avatar. MUDS, forums, the popular “Second Life” and other social networking websites enable you to create your own avatar. The images are not necessarily caricatures but accentuated symbolic entities of yourself.
I find it odd that many people both in real life and on the web do not want to really expose their true self. Come so far but no further seem to be the implication. Yet there seems to be the unnatural craving to “expose” oneself through these avatars and strange usernames. Are they trying to hide something yet seeking fame or notoriety? Read more about avatars in my recommended book for this post.
In the Book of Genesis we are told that God created you in His own image – you are a replica of God in essence and he intended you to be like him. But Satan enticed Adam and Eve by offering an alternate avatar – “you will be like gods”. Then man fell for it with a thud and lost the Paradise. Both Adam and Eve were then fully and literally exposed!
With webcams, live chat and YouTube, I ask you this – Do you still need an avatar to hide behind on the web? Will the real you please show up! What is your web avatar if you already have one? If you still prefer an avatar, what image would you choose for portraying your anonymous self on the web? Will web avatars seek re-incarnation and teleporting and soon spawn a new web religion called “webism”?
With the proliferation of users on the internet, it is no longer easy to maintain one’s unique web identity. With so many Smiths on the net, choosing Joe Blogg as a name is no longer sustainable. So the word “avatar” has now become a web terminology where Joe Blogg can portray himself through a chosen image that he draws himself or gets someone to draw an image that he feels represents his true self. For example a picture of a Bulldog in 3D could become one’s avatar because that image depicts fearlessness, a person not to be tampered with or simply a cuddly flabby pet! To put it plainly, a web avatar is the “web presence” of one’s persona, one’s branding, a representation of one’s significant other or the real you!
On the positive, a web avatar is a portable web identity that is easily recognisable by others. But what baffles me is one’s need to really hide behind this “avatar-mask” - the Phantom you. Why not put up your own photo or your silhouette? Oh, one cites privacy and anonymity as reasons for the one’s avatar. MUDS, forums, the popular “Second Life” and other social networking websites enable you to create your own avatar. The images are not necessarily caricatures but accentuated symbolic entities of yourself.
I find it odd that many people both in real life and on the web do not want to really expose their true self. Come so far but no further seem to be the implication. Yet there seems to be the unnatural craving to “expose” oneself through these avatars and strange usernames. Are they trying to hide something yet seeking fame or notoriety? Read more about avatars in my recommended book for this post.
In the Book of Genesis we are told that God created you in His own image – you are a replica of God in essence and he intended you to be like him. But Satan enticed Adam and Eve by offering an alternate avatar – “you will be like gods”. Then man fell for it with a thud and lost the Paradise. Both Adam and Eve were then fully and literally exposed!
With webcams, live chat and YouTube, I ask you this – Do you still need an avatar to hide behind on the web? Will the real you please show up! What is your web avatar if you already have one? If you still prefer an avatar, what image would you choose for portraying your anonymous self on the web? Will web avatars seek re-incarnation and teleporting and soon spawn a new web religion called “webism”?
2 comments:
Avatars!!
Does it stop at computers and technology or does it literally translate into our own lives.
Take another technological and media medium such as the music and film industry.
Singers, Songwriters, and Actors too have avatars. How many rappers do you know who use avatar names. Eminem,50 cent, etc. Even Bono. Actors even use avatar stage names too so they can be enabled by a stage presence and persona. Who wants to see a see an action film with an actor called Hermit Williams or a film with an actor called CLINT EASTWOOD.
How Christians present themselves at church and then in the marketplace are two very diferent avatars. But which one is the true avatar?!?
Hi
You raise a valid point about the dual avatars that Christians present - their pious avatar inside the Church and something else in the marketplace.
Some non-christians are then perplexed about this dual-identity. If Christians are truely "born again" the there can only be ONE identity or avatar, no matter where they are. Sadly many Christians seem to perpetually re-incarnate themselves like chameleons or as the Hindus would call it - reincarnate themselves and behave like an ant one day, a pig on another, the devil sometimes and a saint on Sundays!
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