# I Want to Be an "Icon"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-be-an-icon/562657>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 2, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-be-an-icon/562657 "2010-12-02T13:58:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-be-an-icon/562657/1 "2010-12-02T13:58:22Z")

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How do I go about achieving “Iconic” status?  
Do I have to do something special (like commit a great crime)?  
Or is “iconic” status conferred upon you by birth?  
Please let me know-this is something I really want to to in 2011!😃

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**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-be-an-icon/562657/2 "2010-12-02T14:14:13Z")

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Take a photo of yourself, and reduce it into a 32x32 pixel image.

😃

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**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-be-an-icon/562657/3 "2010-12-02T14:25:06Z")

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Beware of iconoclasts.

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**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-be-an-icon/562657/4 "2010-12-02T14:51:44Z")

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I think you need to be either:

(1) very rich, and willing to spend money on things that put you in the public eye, or

(2) very good at some skill like acting or sports that you can follow as a career in the public eye.

Being some kind of spectacular criminal might be a third path, but you’ll then have to spend your career as an “icon” either in hiding or in prison: no invitations to fancy parties, or sexual solicitations from beautiful groupies for you.

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**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-be-an-icon/562657/5 "2010-12-02T14:56:32Z")

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Streak at the Superbowl, have all your friends capture it, and then go viral.

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**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-be-an-icon/562657/6 "2010-12-02T15:06:52Z")

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Try [this page](http://icon-generator.net/).

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**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-be-an-icon/562657/7 "2010-12-02T15:31:34Z")

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You could try becoming an SDMB icon. Post a lot, make it controversial, and make it memorable.

You’ll get pitted a lot, and a lot of people will think you’re a duckbutt. But they’ll know who you are. And sooner or later, somebody will refer to that SDMB icon **ralph124c**.

Of course, that’s only metaphorical iconic status. If you want literal iconic status, with people praying to a little statue of you, I can’t help.