The Alter Ego Against the Face

If there's one thing that makes me somewhat uncomfortable on here, it's the number of people who utilize their face as their avatar. Notice that I say the word "avatar" instead of the more-popular "profile picture." It's sort of an old fashioned term (along with icon) at this point, but my use is very intentional. The word "avatar" brings forth an idea of some sort of indirect incarnation of the person behind it. Because of this, it is no surprise that many who prefer the term "profile picture" tend to have their face—a direct, exact representation of themselves—as their profile picture.

While at the end of the day, I actually don't care much about what other people do (that includes you, dear friend who is reading my blog), the choice to use one's own face creeps me out. I've never used my face for my avatar on any website. It's easy when I've never used social media, I guess. My avatars have always been something that I liked and perhaps expressed a certain part of my personality. 

There's a certain comfort I take in not having my face on display. I can prevent assumptions, judgements, and prejudice based on my superficial physical features from everyone. I never wanted to be "me" on the internet. Choosing something else as my avatar gives me a significant opportunity to present something other than "me" to people. I can be my alter ego instead of myself.

Although some may think that my practices allow me to deceive and pose as someone I am not, this is not the case. Compared to my real life, how I act on the internet is much closer to the type of person I want to be. Often I feel compelled to behave a certain way because of societal pressures. I despise this. Having an alter ego on the internet is liberating, allowing me to more easily set the terms of how I am received and what I am allowed to express.

Those who show their face unnecessarily bring the chains from the real world into the internet. They sacrifice their freedom from assumptions for seemingly no gain. They erode the internet's ability to provide a space for non-conformity, anonymity, and freedom.