# 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:** 16
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/301 "2010-10-08T16:00:16Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > Whether or not people can opt out doesn’t matter at all because, as **begbert2** says: “(we) can’t turn off people talking _about_ the avatars”. And, for practically the thousandth time, I’ll say that on message boards with avatars, PEOPLE DON’T TALK ABOUT THEM MUCH. In serious threads, avatars never come up. In lighthearted threads, they’re only mentioned rarely. There also might be the occasional “explain your avatar” thread, much like there are “explain your username” threads. Would you be so offended that the thread you’ve been following on boil lancing or how many letters of the alphabet you can burp had an off-handed comment about an avatar dropped in? If you’re only reading the threads on string theory, Byzantine emperors, or deconstructing Proust, you won’t see avatar talk. Also, given the Doper community’s love for geekery and tired memes, we can’t turn off the Monty Python quotes and Hi Opals, which would probably remain far, far more common than a “hey, nice avatar!” comment. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/302 "2010-10-08T16:38:18Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > > [@bucketybuck](#): > > > > Thats untrue actually. I think people should be allowed to have them. I just think you would be a bit of a weenie to actually want one. > > This may come as a shock, but not everything is about you. Since you’re not arguing that we shouldn’t allow avatars, how can a post about people who’re arguing that we shoudln’t allow avatars possibly apply to you? I know what you need. How about this, instead of an avatar, some sort of audio file plays whenever you are composing a post. That way, people will know you are typing, and can clear their schedule accordingly. I suggest this music plays [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_E31HluCz6E/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgVShJMA8=&rs=AOn4CLACY-7-xMFK5cwZ-5gWXQT-s2hRgw "Escape From New York Duke Arrives") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E31HluCz6E) It would be particularly good for longer posts, as the music would play for longer as you type, building the tension as us mere mortals wait excitedly to hear what bullshit you are going to spout next. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/303 "2010-10-08T16:40:31Z")
Another point (which I think I mentioned on both of the aforementioned threads) is that there are other reasons for wanting avatars beyond showing off or attention-seeking. When you’ve got a debate, like this one, that goes on across several pages with more than a dozen people chipping in, it can be tricky keeping track of what everyone’s said. Pictures would help in this regard. * * * In fact, to show that I am not interested in showing people my pwitty pictures, I’ll say this: If avatars are ever enabled, **bucketybuck** can choose my avatar, if (s)he wishes (with the obvious restrictions that it not be offensive, breach forum rules or clash with an existing avatar). ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/304 "2010-10-08T16:43:05Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Another point (which I think I mentioned on both of the aforementioned threads) is that there are other reasons for wanting avatars beyond showing off or attention-seeking. > > When you’ve got a debate, like this one, that goes on across several pages with more than a dozen people chipping in, it can be tricky keeping track of what everyone’s said. Pictures would help in this regard. > > * * * > > In fact, to show that I am not interested in showing people my pwitty pictures, I’ll say this: > > If avatars are ever enabled, **bucketybuck** can choose my avatar, if (s)he wishes (with the obvious restrictions that it not be offensive, breach forum rules or clash with an existing avatar). Those restrictions are unacceptable. ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/305 "2010-10-08T16:45:33Z")
Embedded midi signatures were the shit back in the day. Pour out a Mountain Dew for grabbag.mid. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/306 "2010-10-08T17:13:22Z")
> [@heatmiserfl](#): > > This thread is weird. > > The OP was funny. The subsequent \*\* Buckety \*\* posts were funny. He even says in the post that it’s not a big deal. But people came in with serious posts? Then even **begert** takes **tibbytoes** post seriously? I think my initial response was, what, four, five words? After all the effort that **tibbytoes** had clearly put into his post, I felt it deserved at least _that_ much of a response. And then when asked, I clarified myself. Because I kinda sometimes like being clear, and because I’ll debate fucking _anything_. Except for comments about avatars I can’t and don’t want to see. Kind of tough to debate those, on account of the whole not seeing them thing. And I’m not masochistic enough to want to turn those on to be able to see them. So you can see it’s clearly a terrible problem. > [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > We wouldn’t have these problems if you could use pronouns properly. You said: > > “You wanna show off your pretty pictures, make a thread specifically devoted to it. Keep it out of my GD.” > > “It” could quite easily have referred to this discussion about avatars. Which is IN THE PIT, not GD. Moron. I can’t help it that you don’t know how pronouns work. You know, that whole “referring to the most recently referenced noun that makes sense in context” thing. It might be worth looking into; that habit of assuming that pronouns refer to random things throughout history must get annoying. ‘I’m going to be meeting my father this evening; he’s got the night off.’ ‘What?? George Washington doesn’t have the night off. Moron.’ Idiot. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/307 "2010-10-08T17:15:40Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > And then when asked, I clarified myself. Because I kinda sometimes like being clear, and because I’ll debate fucking _anything_. Hm. Well, all right, I guess. Are you pro or con on chinchillas? ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/308 "2010-10-08T17:21:04Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > This. > A 1000 times this! > > **begbert2** has succinctly described the salient point of this whooooooole debate. > > Whether or not people can opt out doesn’t matter at all because, as **begbert2** says: “(we) can’t turn off people talking _about_ the avatars”. > > That effectively takes the “but you can turn them off!” argument off the table. That’s just not true. At all. A 1000 times! The only other 2 boards I regularly visit, other than this one, both allow avatars and I don’t remember any comments about them. And besides this argument WAY overstating how the occasional comment would disrupt the thread. Speaking of which… I understand why some posters would not want to see avatars as it visually disrupts the experience but how would reading the occasional comment be that big of a deal? Sorry, I’m just not buying the argument. If you don’t want them, fine. Argue your point all you want. Just don’t base your arguments on reasons that are just not true. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/309 "2010-10-08T17:25:47Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > > [@begbert2](#): > > > > And then when asked, I clarified myself. Because I kinda sometimes like being clear, and because I’ll debate fucking _anything_. > > Hm. Well, all right, I guess. Are you pro or con on chinchillas? Con. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/310 "2010-10-08T17:36:28Z")
Wait, does “con chinchillas” mean you are against them, in which case you have no problem with people wearing their furry little pelts, or you are against people wearing their furry little pelts? And does “con chinchillas” make anyone else hungry for Mexican food for lunch? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/311 "2010-10-08T17:39:30Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Wait, does “con chinchillas” mean you are against them, in which case you have no problem with people wearing their furry little pelts, or you are against people wearing their furry little pelts? > > And does “con chinchillas” make anyone else hungry for Mexican food for lunch? The former. Kill them all and wear their corpses. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/312 "2010-10-08T18:03:44Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Hm. Well, all right, I guess. Are you pro or con on chinchillas? I owned two chinchillas once. The female liked to show her affection by rearing up and aiming a jet of urine at my eyes, and the male gnawed one of his own feet off. So I’m pretty con. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/313 "2010-10-08T18:14:41Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > The female liked to show her affection by rearing up and aiming a jet of urine at my eyes, and the male gnawed one of his own feet off. It’s like a soap opera! ---
**Author:** ![heatmiserfl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df705f/32.png) [@heatmiserfl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heatmiserfl)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/314 "2010-10-08T18:17:16Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > And then when asked, I clarified myself. Because I kinda sometimes like being clear, and because I’ll debate fucking _anything_. Are you for or against fucking anything? ---
**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 8, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/315 "2010-10-08T18:27:22Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > A 1000 times this! > > **begbert2** has succinctly described the salient point of this whooooooole debate. > > Whether or not people can opt out doesn’t matter at all because, as **begbert2** says: “(we) can’t turn off people talking _about_ the avatars”. > > That effectively takes the “but you can turn them off!” argument off the table. I can disable you via the ignore option, but people will still talk about you. According to your logic, you should be banned. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/316 "2010-10-08T18:31:14Z")
> [@heatmiserfl](#): > > > [@begbert2](#): > > > > And then when asked, I clarified myself. Because I kinda sometimes like being clear, and because I’ll debate fucking _anything_. > > Are you for or against fucking anything? This really comes down to semantics and context. Would being _for_ fucking anything mean that I had to be in favor of fucking fire hydrants and chainsaws? Would being _against_ fucking anything be a statement in favor of universal abstinence? And is the implied subject of discussion myself, or people in general? I am against myself fucking my mother, but I really have no problem with the fact my father has done so. As you can see, this is clearly a subject worthy of debate. ---
**Author:** ![Gustav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Gustav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gustav)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/317 "2010-10-08T18:37:06Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > I can disable you via the ignore option, but people will still talk about you. According to your logic, you should be banned. Yes, that’s actually a good point. There is an ignore feature, yet the moderators still regularly have to step in and ban people. Why do you suppose that is? If people don’t like their posts they can just not read them, right? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/318 "2010-10-08T18:40:55Z")
Seven pages long over this. WRT avatars: I have frequented boards that allow avatars, there seems to be a lowest common denominator effect on them: someone always finds it amusing to have an avatar that involves a naked body part, or something that looks like a naked body part, if rules forbid them, and someone always has to have turd avatar, a shitting avatar, a peeing avatar, etc., whatever the epitome of bad taste for them is, they have to have it as their avatar. This applies even on boards where the majority of the avatars are tasteful. Since someone’s idea of bad taste will INEVITABLY coincide with yours, any board with avatars will repeatedly offend your tastes, whatever they are. Over and over and over again. It’s very much like usernames … someone’s always gotta be Mister Turd, or Pussy McLickLick, or Sir Barfalot, etc. We cannot escape from the onslaught of idiot user names, but we can at least avoid the visual pollution offered by avatars. So, bad idea overall. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/319 "2010-10-08T18:45:30Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Seven pages long over this. WRT avatars: I have frequented boards that allow avatars, there seems to be a lowest common denominator effect on them: someone always finds it amusing to have an avatar that involves a naked body part, or something that looks like a naked body part, if rules forbid them, and someone always has to have turd avatar, a shitting avatar, a peeing avatar, etc., whatever the epitome of bad taste for them is, they have to have it as their avatar. This applies even on boards where the majority of the avatars are tasteful. > > Since someone’s idea of bad taste will INEVITABLY coincide with yours, any board with avatars will repeatedly offend your tastes, whatever they are. Over and over and over again. It’s very much like usernames … someone’s always gotta be Mister Turd, or Pussy McLickLick, or Sir Barfalot, etc. We cannot escape from the onslaught of idiot user names, but we can at least avoid the visual pollution offered by avatars. > > So, bad idea overall. You’re going to get slapped because avatars can just be turned off, so one doesn’t have to see the polution. (Just the second-hand pollution of talk about it by persons who _do_ like looking at the pollution.) Also, I’ve seen an ascii penis get edited out by a mod here. I suspect that the universally-agreed-as bad taste avatars wouldn’t last long either. ---
**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 8, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161/320 "2010-10-08T18:46:33Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Since someone’s idea of bad taste will INEVITABLY coincide with yours, any board with avatars will repeatedly offend your tastes, whatever they are. Over and over and over again. It’s very much like usernames … someone’s always gotta be Mister Turd, or Pussy McLickLick, or Sir Barfalot, etc. We cannot escape from the onslaught of idiot user names, but we can at least avoid the visual pollution offered by avatars. Poor argument. They are optional. Sigs can also contain offensive statements, but they aren’t banned as well. Hell, posts can be offensive, as this thread proves. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatards/556161.md?page=17)