I always block avatars with ublock. 
Talk about anything
I used to change avatars all the time based on shows I was watching, mood, whatever.
But then about 14 years ago I changed to Chi the kitten from the anime Chi's Sweet Home (it was Chi trying to type on a keyboard). It just stuck, and I decided to remain consistent.
While on the Oculus forums I edited the australian flag into the background due to being tired of people thinking I was american.
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I don't care about your choice of avatar -- I'm more interested in what you've got to say. Since most people don't change avatars very often, you can't even really assert that it's an artistic expression, except in the sense of, "an expression of what they were thinking two years ago." At least with a t-shirt, you might have thought about it when you got dressed that day. 
I don't respect anyone that doesn't have an avatar. Being honest here.
Ooo, now it might be the booze talking, but I have another idea. Based on what I say, what's the image of me that comes to mind. @cybereality, you can join too. I don't care you've actually seen me.
I'm pretty sure that 99% of all the people who've ever lived didn't have an avatar.
However, you'll notice that I cater to those who like avatars. Mine is just a photo of me, but that should count. And thankfully, I don't have to look at it.
duane I'm pretty sure that 99% of all the people who've ever lived didn't have an avatar.
Sure, but not on the internet. I feel like being without an avatar online is like if someone knocks on my door and I look and they are wearing a black ski mask. Would you open the door?
cybereality I in fact would open the door. Whatever kind of time I'm on for, it could be another cool story to tell.
The problem with that logic is that an avatar has no real connection with your identity. I suppose you could say that spam accounts are less likely to have an avatar, but I've seen some that had them. The only clue you actually have to someone's identity in a chat environment is their words. Everything else is much easier to fake, even without advanced software.
Besides which, does it matter if someone you speak to remotely is who they say they are? What would you do differently if they weren't?
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Your avatar is your identity. Maybe more so than your real body, as you get to choose it.
I'm with Duane here. Unconscious use of language often says a lot more about people than an image they consciously use to represent who they think they are. But this is my 10th drink. If you don't know what I mean, assume water.
I'm assuming absinthe.
cybereality What's real is what you think until you see otherwise. It's absinthe now. I didn't know absinthe was a thing until maybe 4 minutes ago.
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I prefer Pastis. Same same, but different. Less side effects. I mean, unless people are after the side effects 
I think the role of avatars is overestimated. We're living in a dream and there's a danger of waking up in a possibly unpleasant reality.
Just kidding.
Edit: Wow, just learned that the ban on absinthe has been lifted decades ago. Looks like I am somewhat out of style ... :-)
packrat I in fact would open the door. Whatever kind of time I'm on for, it could be another cool story to tell.
We can open the door and go to war. Total mobilization. It may not always be possible to tell about it afterwards.
cybereality I don't respect anyone that doesn't have an avatar.
You can force a person to put avatars. For example here is the default avatar that says "I don't know how to place avatars".
But that, in my opinion, is much worse than no avatar.
Besides which, does it matter if someone you speak to remotely is who they say they are? What would you do differently if they weren't?
From my point of view, all of you are text strings. And maybe there's actually only one person posting here using multiple identities.
It's all my sock puppets.
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So, I'm currently working on a more abstract character that's easy to change with different hair, nose, beards, whatever.
Not going to use it for an avatar. I get tired of trying to make enough content for a game so trying to simplify things. The toilet is a free download. I wanted to see how it would look with some other models.