Profile Pictures, Looks, Relationships and Human Nature

I find the whole issue of the photos sort of funny. Just think, if you are even slightly racially, or physicality biased, you could be talking to someone you would be biased against in the "real" world, and not even know it here in TBD because we can put out what we want others to see in us rather than strictly what we look like.

Online, one can only judge by the way a person verbally expresses him/herself and a photo. Nothing else to go by. If I am looking at a potential date or mate I am going to use both criteria. I agree that the photo one chooses is very important and I am going to assess whether one took the time to post an attractive smiling picture in the same way I will asses the writings of someone who doesn't use a spell check or follow grammatical rules.

I read and posted on one of the threads you are speaking about. Thinking about it, I guess it depends on why you are on TBD. If you are looking to date, I guess the fact that someone has a cartoon avatar instead of a real picture could pose a problem. If you are on here just to talk, meet people, discuss issues then the avatar is less of a problem. I agree with Isadora regarding writing style; It says a lot about a person. Their profiles offer some clues too. Finally, I find the saying my grandmother used often "Pretty is as pretty does" very applicable with this subject. How a person posts and what groups they join can also shed some light about them.

There is no big deal... personal preference. The Avatar's and artistic photos are actually interesting.

Anyway...

Their true personality will eventually make itself known.

As this forum allows a person to choose what he places in the picture area ( a picture of themselves or an avatar, etc...) I think we can do whatever we want.

I agree, if your here for dates, your going to get luckier with a pretty/handsome picture than an avatar. In the end, whether you find love or not will depend on "you"!

You personality, posts, humor, and overall positive feedback, even if you don't agree with a particular subject. So whether you put up a cute pic or a cartoon just be "you" and somebody will see the qualities or potential you might possess. So good luck to all the cute, the not so cute, the avatars, and the cartoons!

Because, behind them all, are people who have chosen to participate in open adult discussion, which is a win for all ;)

I've changed my picture several times on TBD. For awhile I used a nondescript clip because I wanted to be anonymous and I thought someone I know might recognize me if I used a real picture. Then I used a serious looking, not too flattering one to portray a serious looking, not too attractive me. I chose this one because I think it is glowing and I'm feeling content with myself right now. Hmm, maybe I have MPD ... what do you think, Isadora? Actually, this is a happy picture because what you don't see is that I'm holding the fingers of my beautiful grandaughter! To sum it up, I think photos/icons tell alot about a person no matter iwhat.

I agree with you. Photos (and which ones you choose to post) DO tell something about a person, and they ARE only part of the picture. The whole "photo" or "avatar" thing is and example of an extreme point of view if one decides that what they do is the only "right" way to represent themselves.

I admit to some prejudices of my own about people I meet on TBD. If you send me a friend request and the ONLY groups you belong to are the 'sex talk' and some thing that promotes your own business/book/website I probably won't respond. If you only have 3 posts I will wait awhile before I respond. If you never make anymore...well. So I am not totally without criteria ;-D, but nothing else bothers me and I generally accept all such requests, whether or not they come from cartoon characters, cats, plants or pirates. };-> (you know who you are,lol)

I use a variety of icons and like to change them periodically. I put up my real face for national holidays. When I first got on here I was not sure I wanted to post my real face to bunch of strangers and I wanted to see what sort of place it was first. Hence the avatar. The national holiday thing just happened and now I feel it is traditional, lol.

I think some of the people who feel that they were insulted about their photos maybe really feel that they did not get as much attention as their photo warranted, and are a bit miffed about it.

About looks and dating: I think that looks always matter, but they are relative. No one looks around, sees someone and says "Oh, that person is butt-ugly! I MUST go out with them."

};-> However, sometimes a person knows another on the inside well enough that their feeling for that person compensate for any lack of physical favor. So in that context looks might be important.

So yeah...like I said...I agree with you. For myself...the heck with looks, I want brains and money! hee hee };->