Julian Dibell's article, "Alter Egos: Avatars and Their Creators, creates an alternative view on the usage of the avatar. He was definitely able to change my perspective. I always thought avatars were just a way for "creeps," to disguise themselves to get onto children's gaming websites. In other cases it can be a requirement for games. I never really took them as an alter ego, as some may say. After reading this article and viewing a few people who had revealed their avatars, my opinion quickly changed. It is now easier to understand the purpose of the Avatar. For example, Jason Rowe, a man struggling with several physical disabilities uses his avatar as a way to the outside world. While online and playing Star Wars Galaxies he goes on without judgement, and feels as though people get to know the real him without viewing his outer appearance.
The avatar, in some cases is very beneficial for social interaction. It allows people to get to know one another without judgement of physical appearance. However, this also allows someone to take on a new personality. Someone could possibly lie about who they are, which defeats the purpose of "really" getting to know someone. The main problem with the avatar is the fact that it allows one to alter their appearance as well as their identity. In a way it is like being in a disguise, and only you know who you really are. To sum up, I believe the avatar can be very helpful in forms of social interaction, but it also hides true identity.
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