When we communicate online, it is
good to have an avatar to represent our ideas and identity. However, we need to careful when we choose
icons or pictures to stand for us. There is a proverb that says "A picture worth a thousand words", so we need to consider their implications in the readers' mind. Avatars or pictures describe situations
and emotions of a person. It has a power in viewers mind and helps them to memorize
or recall some past events. Readers may relate specific pictures to different circumstances
and they may decode it in different ways.
I found this picture online, and I
made some changes to represent me. When a
person looks at this avatar, she/he would assume that I am a Christian. I may use it only in religious' discussion
blogs and websites. This image conveys a message to the readers as I have credibility
on the subject. Readers who have
interest in Bible and Christianity may conceive me as a person with expertise and
authority on religious issues. Even some of non religious people may ask me questions
about Christianity. On the other hand,
other people who have a different religion may not want to read my articles, as
they would instantly imagine my ideas are worthless. This kind of avatar also can have a negative effect
on my job hunting; as a result, I wouldn't use it in other online environments
like LinkedIn and job posting sites.
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