# Avatards **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 5, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161 "2010-10-05T19:22:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/1 "2010-10-05T19:22:30Z")
> **[How to make the SDMB more social?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=580518)** > > Looking for suggestion applicable to the Board in general, and also to members assuming the board remains the way it is… I’m a visual person, so it takes me a really long time to associate any particular screenname with a mental idea of who the... [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12991450#post12991450](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12991450#post12991450) There are two threads going right now about the use of Avatars here, one in ATMB and the other in IMHO. Why am I starting a third? Well, lets be honest, its just that my real opinion doesnt quite match with those two forums. You see, people are looking for reasons why we should or shouldnt allow avatars on this site. I dont think we should, for one very simple reason. I think you need to be a shallow, dumb, childish, insecure, empty little moron to actually want an avatar. What is the attraction? You really want to have a silly little picture beside every post? You think thats cool? Well here is something you may not know. You see all those silly little pictures, all those oh-so-cool avatars? Nobody cares about them. Its like facebook status messages, we like our own, we never look at anybody elses. You might think that some obscure anime logo is the coolest thing since the original mentos, and that it needs to be shared with the world. Sorry poppet, the world doesnt care. But lets assume something, lets assume the world does care. Lets assume there are people out there that will suck your cock internet stylee every time you put up your latest rad avatar. Well what exactly does that say about you? Are you so devoid of worth that this is what you strive for? Have you so little to say that this is how you have to express yourself? I have a mental image of a pasty doper fapping out dozens of “me-too” posts, with nothing to contribute yet still yearning desperately that something will stick and a fellow avatard will post the magic words “nice avatar dude”. Said pastynerd will lean back and bask in his internet glory, before masterbating furiously in case the adrenalin boost gives him hives. I didnt say it was a nice mental image. Seriously. I laugh sometimes when people put forward the whole “smartest board on the internet thing” (Hint: You aint). But at least its generally accurate to say its a little more mature than the average message board. A big selling point for many. So why oh why oh why would anybody want to revert to something as childish as avatars. Good god people have you so little to actually SAY that you need the crutch of some stupid cartoon head to define your personality? Some kitty picture, is that how you want others to recognise you by?. Have you no self-confidence that they will remember you anyway? Christ on a floor mounted dildo what is wrong with you? And to those saying that they would like avatars because they struggle to remember names, I say this, why is that a bad thing? You dont think it might be better to focus on what is being said rather than who is saying it? And to be blunt, if your memory is that bad anyway you are either dumb as an empty can of shaving foam, or older than you realised. Avatars aint helping you much either way. This is no big deal to me. If they are ever allowed, I will just block them and I doubt my viewing experience will change much. And to be honest, it is only the sneering condescension in the other threads that prompted this pit thread. There are too many wankers there playing the internet version of “roll the eyes, wring the hands, and plead with the commoners to see reason”. I am well aware that many will disagree with this opinion, I have no illusions on that score. I even realise that it is only my opinion, and very possibly wrong in every way, shape or form. But I am right about Avatars. They are fucking stupid, and you need to be a cretin to even waste the time creating one. Hey, maybe they do serve a purpose! They show us who the retards are. Interesting… ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/2 "2010-10-05T19:23:20Z")
Good gods. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/3 "2010-10-05T19:23:55Z")
Too long a rant about too minor an issue. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/4 "2010-10-05T19:26:06Z")
“I think you need to be a shallow, dumb, childish, insecure, empty little moron to actually want an avatar.” Yeah, but what about people who complain about them? How shallow/dumb/insecure/etc must one be to write 661 words against the subject? ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/5 "2010-10-05T19:30:48Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > But I am right about Avatars. They are fucking stupid, and you need to be a cretin to even waste the time creating one. Ha, and someone thought my “close minded” comment in an earlier thread was off the mark. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/6 "2010-10-05T19:32:22Z")
I came in here expecting a rant about the fandom of the movie Avatar. I want a refund. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/7 "2010-10-05T19:33:24Z")
Ya know, instead of these thousand words you could have just painted a picture. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/8 "2010-10-05T19:35:55Z")
Not only have I spent time making my own avatars, I’ve spent time making them for other people! HAHA! Top that, empty shallow morons! ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/9 "2010-10-05T19:37:01Z")
> [@Eutychus](#): > > Too long a rant about too minor an issue. What can I say, it looked shorter in the compose message box. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/10 "2010-10-05T19:39:17Z")
Excellent OP. Bonus points for “masterbating furiously in case the adrenalin boost gives him hives” ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/11 "2010-10-05T19:43:11Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > Seriously. I laugh sometimes when people put forward the whole “smartest board on the internet thing” (Hint: You aint). But at least its generally accurate to say its a little more mature than the average message board. You know what else is not mature, calling avatars “avatards”. Way to make your case. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/12 "2010-10-05T19:44:23Z")
It takes long enough to for the dope to load up on my blackberry. Last thing I need is to wait even longer for some stupid avatar to load. ---
**Author:** ![Peeta\_Mellark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Peeta\_Mellark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peeta_Mellark)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/13 "2010-10-05T19:44:34Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > I think you need to be a shallow, dumb, childish, insecure, empty little moron to actually want an avatar. What kind of strange little world do you live in? Is this the only message board you’ve ever frequented? Do you turn up your nose at all of the other thoughtful, interesting discussions out there on the Internet because, by God, your grandly superior message board where people discuss shaving their asses, popping zits, and time-travel is SRS BZNSS? Yeah, the James Randi Educational Foundation board is shallow. Physics Forums is dumb. Bad Astronomy and Universe Today Forum? Childish. Psych Central? Insecure. Any board that uses avatars is vastly intellectually inferior. Get over it, dude. It’s a non-issue either way, but your moronic need to view avatars as the mark of something childish just shows how out of touch with reality you are. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/14 "2010-10-05T19:47:11Z")
Maybe we should get rid of names too and just be referred to by numbers. Much more fair and efficient that way. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/15 "2010-10-05T19:53:06Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > [How to make the SDMB more social? - About This Message Board - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=580518) > > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12991450#post12991450](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12991450#post12991450) > > There are two threads going right now about the use of Avatars here, one in ATMB and the other in IMHO. Why am I starting a third? Well, lets be honest, its just that my real opinion doesnt quite match with those two forums. > > You see, people are looking for reasons why we should or shouldnt allow avatars on this site. I dont think we should, for one very simple reason. > > I think you need to be a shallow, dumb, childish, insecure, empty little moron to actually want an avatar. > > What is the attraction? You really want to have a silly little picture beside every post? You think thats cool? Well here is something you may not know. You see all those silly little pictures, all those oh-so-cool avatars? Nobody cares about them. Its like facebook status messages, we like our own, we never look at anybody elses. You might think that some obscure anime logo is the coolest thing since the original mentos, and that it needs to be shared with the world. Sorry poppet, the world doesnt care. > > But lets assume something, lets assume the world does care. Lets assume there are people out there that will suck your cock internet stylee every time you put up your latest rad avatar. Well what exactly does that say about you? > Are you so devoid of worth that this is what you strive for? Have you so little to say that this is how you have to express yourself? > > I have a mental image of a pasty doper fapping out dozens of “me-too” posts, with nothing to contribute yet still yearning desperately that something will stick and a fellow avatard will post the magic words “nice avatar dude”. Said pastynerd will lean back and bask in his internet glory, before masterbating furiously in case the adrenalin boost gives him hives. I didnt say it was a nice mental image. > Seriously. I laugh sometimes when people put forward the whole “smartest board on the internet thing” (Hint: You aint). But at least its generally accurate to say its a little more mature than the average message board. A big selling point for many. So why oh why oh why would anybody want to revert to something as childish as avatars. Good god people have you so little to actually SAY that you need the crutch of some stupid cartoon head to define your personality? Some kitty picture, is that how you want others to recognise you by?. Have you no self-confidence that they will remember you anyway? Christ on a floor mounted dildo what is wrong with you? > > And to those saying that they would like avatars because they struggle to remember names, I say this, why is that a bad thing? You dont think it might be better to focus on what is being said rather than who is saying it? > And to be blunt, if your memory is that bad anyway you are either dumb as an empty can of shaving foam, or older than you realised. Avatars aint helping you much either way. > This is no big deal to me. If they are ever allowed, I will just block them and I doubt my viewing experience will change much. And to be honest, it is only the sneering condescension in the other threads that prompted this pit thread. There are too many wankers there playing the internet version of “roll the eyes, wring the hands, and plead with the commoners to see reason”. > I am well aware that many will disagree with this opinion, I have no illusions on that score. I even realise that it is only my opinion, and very possibly wrong in every way, shape or form. > > But I am right about Avatars. They are fucking stupid, and you need to be a cretin to even waste the time creating one. > > Hey, maybe they do serve a purpose! They show us who the retards are. Interesting… TL;DR ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/16 "2010-10-05T20:14:17Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > Excellent OP. > > Bonus points for “masterbating furiously in case the adrenalin boost gives him hives” But… adrenalin would cure the hives… ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/17 "2010-10-05T20:16:38Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I came in here expecting a rant about the fandom of the movie Avatar. > > I want a refund. Hey, I was thinking it was a rant about the fandom of _Avatar: The Last Airbender._ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/18 "2010-10-05T20:22:26Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Maybe we should get rid of names too and just be referred to by numbers. Much more fair and efficient that way. I call dibs on Number 6. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/19 "2010-10-05T20:25:56Z")
If only there were some way that people who don’t like avatars could turn them off. Like a little check box in the user control panel. Then people who enjoy avatars could have them and people who are mr grumpypants could ignore them. Ah well. ♪To dream the impossible dream…♫ ---
**Author:** ![Peeta\_Mellark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Peeta\_Mellark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peeta_Mellark)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/20 "2010-10-05T20:27:29Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > If only there were some way that people who don’t like avatars could turn them off. Like a little check box in the user control panel. Then people who enjoy avatars could have them and people who are mr grumpypants could ignore them. Ah well. ♪To dream the impossible dream…♫ That’s the kind of crazy talk I’d expect from one of you avatar using people! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161.md?page=2)