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Judging people by their pictures.
16 years ago
Journal Entry That stupid photo meme has been spreading all around FA. It's really funny watching how many people like to jump on a bandwagon. Whatever floats yer boat. Posting your picture probably just means your gonna get comments saying "you're hot" and other flirty stuff, or trash-talking you and making you feel like crap. (If you're a girl, it means you'll only get the former, of course, knowing the nature of FA.)
I'm gonna tell it from another angle. Personally I prefer not knowing what someone looks like until I am very good friends with them, and even then only if they are willing to share that information. Yeah, sounds contradictory to common sense, right? It is contradictory to human nature, that's for sure. We as humans want to know everything about everything, and that means the people we've seen around and talk to.
But think about it this way... when you see a picture of someone, you are now judging them subconsciously in your mind. You know what that artist or friend looks like and you will most likely associate their works with that picture in your mind.
I hate judging people. I hate being judged. I hate all of it. So many people are judged by their appearance without fair representation of who they are inside. Some of the most amazing people on the internet are some that you'd find horribly unattractive, ugly, or unpleasant to look at. They may have lived in ridicule or always felt like they weren't attractive...
Yes, I consider myself to be one of the above. Yes, I know I'm not alone in that feeling. Yes, I don't have a lot of confidence about myself or my appearance. But I don't believe it matters to me and it certainly hasn't mattered to anyone that's read my stories or enjoyed my crappy art, because you see the words I write, the emotion I put into things, thus you judge me for what I've done and how I've acted, not what appearance I was given.
I could be a man or a woman, white or black, skinny or fat, tall or short, and you'd be none the wiser because you've only judged me on my writing, style, advice, humor, personality, and... well, avatar, really. Isn't that all you SHOULD judge me by? Does any of the rest really make a difference regarding my personality and who I am?
Anyway... the point is, I think it's more important to judge people on their work and their personality than it is their appearance. It's a lot more shallow judging people based on their picture -- consciously or subconsciously. Not to say it's wrong or right (it'd be STUPID to say never wanting to see people is healthy or to call you shallow for wanting to see people), but it does change things, at least for me.
Thank Al Gore for the internet, giving shy nerds like me a place to fit into. ^^;
P.S. (I've looked at so many of those pictures people have posted though lol, so I guess I'm a hypocrite in a lot of ways. Human nature, human nature...)
I'm gonna tell it from another angle. Personally I prefer not knowing what someone looks like until I am very good friends with them, and even then only if they are willing to share that information. Yeah, sounds contradictory to common sense, right? It is contradictory to human nature, that's for sure. We as humans want to know everything about everything, and that means the people we've seen around and talk to.
But think about it this way... when you see a picture of someone, you are now judging them subconsciously in your mind. You know what that artist or friend looks like and you will most likely associate their works with that picture in your mind.
I hate judging people. I hate being judged. I hate all of it. So many people are judged by their appearance without fair representation of who they are inside. Some of the most amazing people on the internet are some that you'd find horribly unattractive, ugly, or unpleasant to look at. They may have lived in ridicule or always felt like they weren't attractive...
Yes, I consider myself to be one of the above. Yes, I know I'm not alone in that feeling. Yes, I don't have a lot of confidence about myself or my appearance. But I don't believe it matters to me and it certainly hasn't mattered to anyone that's read my stories or enjoyed my crappy art, because you see the words I write, the emotion I put into things, thus you judge me for what I've done and how I've acted, not what appearance I was given.
I could be a man or a woman, white or black, skinny or fat, tall or short, and you'd be none the wiser because you've only judged me on my writing, style, advice, humor, personality, and... well, avatar, really. Isn't that all you SHOULD judge me by? Does any of the rest really make a difference regarding my personality and who I am?
Anyway... the point is, I think it's more important to judge people on their work and their personality than it is their appearance. It's a lot more shallow judging people based on their picture -- consciously or subconsciously. Not to say it's wrong or right (it'd be STUPID to say never wanting to see people is healthy or to call you shallow for wanting to see people), but it does change things, at least for me.
Thank Al Gore for the internet, giving shy nerds like me a place to fit into. ^^;
P.S. (I've looked at so many of those pictures people have posted though lol, so I guess I'm a hypocrite in a lot of ways. Human nature, human nature...)
I know that people do like sharing something about themselves, and that's fine, it's not even those people I'm complaining against. Just judgmental people in general. XD
Some random person called me ugly on mine today but it doesn't bother me because I know I'm not. :P Everyone is different and has different tastes in what they find attractive anyway. You can't please everyone but there is always someone out there you can. :)
I agree with what you say up there as well, because your perspective on how YOU judge people is just fine. Unfortunately it's a perspective that not everyone has. If everyone judged people the way you did, there wouldn't be any problem with it, really. But the problem is, as some random person pointed out to you... not everyone judges in a respectful manner. :(
I met a person I hadn't seen in a year on the bus yesterday.
I mean I sometimes find myself watching people in cars or in grocery stores and trying to analyze them. I don't know if it's necessarily judging or whatnot, but it probably is, making me guilty of it. But I certainly wouldn't go up to anyone and say, "You look pretty ugly, miss."
But I also kind of worry how I appear when people do the same.
But yeah, I'm judged a lot IRL based on my looks, even if not so much anymore, but excessively when I was younger, and it hasn't had a good effect in the long run :(
But hurray for having Buizels! :3
That being said, my contribution to this meme had my face covered with a zombie mask, so you can't really tell much about me from it. Other than the fact that I like zombies.
But you do make a lot of good points there. Sometimes remembering that artists are real people too is nice. I think what I was implying in my journal up there was sort of the contrary to that. It IS important to remember that there's a face on the other side of that computer screen. It's just the judging and feeling judged or looking for attention that I wish wasn't there. ^^;
I are shy internet nerd!!!
You has zombie mask? I has gas mask.
But... needless to say... internet nerd power! XD
I agree to what you said, it's neat to know the person before knowing what they look like. I like using my imagination of what they look like, isn't that one of the "foundations" of furry fandom? To get away from your RL self to pretend to be something else? This photomeme is ruining that...sorta. lool
I would never put my mug on a furry porn site, and the closest I got was just drawing on it (like so: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/836219/). I never put my face up on DA either. XD
The point you made was also probably the best I've heard about that. Given the nature of the "furry fandom," that mystique and seeing past reality is one of its more prominent parts.
It's just too bad people often don't have the luxury of getting to know people's personalities and stuff before they're forced to judge consciously or unconsciously one's looks in person. Heh.
And good call not putting your picture up here. XD All of the people that have posted them might have to live with it being a part of their record when doing job reviews or stuff like that. Or whatever other future big brother technology the internet has to offer in a few years.
the net is great, cause like u said, u can meet and talk with people and even become friends with people solely on who they are, not what they look like. its true no matter how nice u are that u judge. if u meet some1 thats a bit overweight, for example. if that person is mentioned and u didnt get a name, ur mind WILL automatically say 'OH YEAH the big/fat/chubby/husky person.' Not to be hurtful, but yes thats what ur mind says. i personally like meeting friends and whatnot by knowing "them", not there bodies XD.
not sayin u should only meet ppl on the net >.< its also very good to meet ppl and whatnot in person. it gives u a sense of relief knowing the "guy behind the mask" XD. like zeph says, human nature" ^^ nothing more need be said :3.
sorry for the lengthy response ^^ just felt like starting my day with a nice long opinion! :D back to playing MW2! : )