Is it normal to have certain mental images of users here?

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143 Comments

I am a regular here, and mostly refer to other regulars...is it normal that for many of them, i have a certain "mental image", regarding their ethnicity, age, gender, socio-economic group etc...?

Even if i don't know where they're from, or am not even sure of their gender, in my mind, it's all crystal clear. I know it's just imagination and don't let it affect what i write, but is it normal to "cultivate" these mental constructs?

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85% Normal
Based on 71 votes (60 yes)
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Comments ( 143 )
  • dom180
    11 years ago | pl

    We've now done "What IIN members smell like", "What IIN members' voices sound like" and "What IIN members look like".

    I'm worried we're moving on to touch and taste soon o_O

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    • TerryVie
      11 years ago

      uh, just for the protocol...i ONLY wanted to ask if its normal that i HAVE mental images of people that are based on their online personas :)

      I did NOT mean to have this turned into a "What IIN members look like"-kind of thread, though it IT amusing.

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    • shade_ilmaendu
      11 years ago

      *lick*

      Tastes like tea... >.>

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      • Allistalla
        11 years ago

        Win!

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      • charli.m
        11 years ago

        Haha!

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    • shuggy-chan
      11 years ago

      shuggy-chan, taste like shuggah

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    • iEatZombies_
      11 years ago

      This is why you're one of my favs.

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    • dappled
      11 years ago

      That's it! I'm writing a gene sequencing thread for IIN users! Let's all compare DNA. :)

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      • Allistalla
        11 years ago

        what do you imagine me looking like!?

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        • dappled
          11 years ago

          Hmm... I think you're a shorty. Maybe 5'2", dark hair, slim. Probably wrong, though. :)

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          • Allistalla
            11 years ago

            I imagine you as tall dark, thin dark hiar maybe brown eyes. wearing a button up sitting in a chair.

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            • bananaface
              11 years ago

              But how would he get anywhere if he was sat in a chair all the time?

              I imagine you as quite tall, a bit underweight, medium/long hair, brown eyes, pale. Am I close?:D

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            • Avant-Garde
              11 years ago

              I imagine you as having straight brown hair that is shoulder length and that you wear allot of red. Caucasian? On occasion, slightly overweight, but sometimes magically fit. Somewhat short in stature. In essence, you look like your profile pic, but with a human twist.

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          • Allistalla
            11 years ago

            I give you that image?

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    • dirtybirdy
      11 years ago

      Ha! Priceless :)

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  • dirtybirdy
    11 years ago | pl

    Yes I imagine what the mental users look like

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  • iEatZombies_
    11 years ago

    Only if we're all naked and hairy.

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  • NeuroNeptunian
    11 years ago

    I normally use these posts to describe myself, but seeing as how right now, I am sitting in a computer chair with a beige T-shirt from Singapore that my estranged Father sent to me from Singapore, a pair of my first boyfriend's gym shorts and completely commando while my brownish black hair in which the dye is starting to wash out almost looks as if I spent all night doing meth and I handle a mini bong because I'm about to get pretty high to keep myself from doing my errands today (I have to see about getting a cheap dentist for this killer cavity and I have to register my car, both can wait til tomorrow but I'm a huge busy body)

    ANYWAY, my image right now isn't so flattering. So I won't describe it.

    ^WHOA, I actually just did!

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    • TerryVie
      11 years ago

      snd reading it WAS quite amusing ^_^

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  • [Old Memory]
    11 years ago

    I'm not overly fond of giving away personal details hence I've never uploaded an unblurred image of me. But yes it's normal. Curiosity is innate in humanity.

    It's only natural that you'd wonder what we all look like.

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  • [Old Memory]
    11 years ago

    i think i know what norahbaker looks like :) beautiful

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    • TerryVie
      11 years ago

      she _IS_ beautiful! and awesome!

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      • NoraBaker
        11 years ago

        You are both too sweet. :)

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        • shuggy-chan
          11 years ago

          nora the explora!!

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        • TerryVie
          11 years ago

          only honest, my sweet nora.

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  • PeytonDamron
    11 years ago

    I've always imagined Dad was some creepy old white dude whose bald with glasses.

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  • Shaung1
    11 years ago

    I do the same thing :)

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  • ZiggyStardust
    11 years ago

    I have a snow white tan and a god given ass. Just in case you didn't already know.

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    • Clara,HeadBetweenHerPaws
      11 years ago

      Oh my gosh! You've been a hero of mine forever and ever and ever. You have no idea how many times I have heard you sing about your ass.

      I always felt like we'd got something in common somehow... not that I'm making claims about my ass.

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      • ZiggyStardust
        11 years ago

        Same. In fact I must have listened to myself sing about my own ass at least 10 times today!:O God, I really do love myself. But then again, who wouldn't:P?

        And after a brief discussion with Weird, Gilly and the Spiders from Mars, I can confirm that you too, Clara, have a god given ass! Welcome to the club! I guess we do have something in common after all (on top of being somewhat feline):P.

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        • Clara,HeadBetweenHerPaws
          11 years ago

          I am so very flattered. I feel like I want to jive you that you are voodoo now, or some such thing. :D

          Yay for Cat Club. We should have a pub quiz team and call ourselves "The Tigers From Mars". ;)

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          • ZiggyStardust
            11 years ago

            Tigers from Mars! I like, I like:). And we would win everytime (assuming they asked us "is there life on Mars?");P!

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  • dappled
    11 years ago

    Very few ever look anything like I'm expecting. If ten of the people I know best here put their pictures in a hat, I couldn't work out who any of them are.

    Some people here completely divorce themselves from their physicality and, for those people, I don't even imagine them having a body. It seems insane to wonder if they are blond(e) or brunet(te) because I see them in the context of their username.

    What I usually find when people post pictures is that everyone is more attractive than expected. That's pretty much universal and I don't know why it should be.

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    • TerryVie
      11 years ago

      yeah, the thing is, i have not doubt that those (/=my) mental expectations are FAR off except in select cases, but i still have them.

      Thats basically the question you skillfully dodged: If you have some mental images you link with certain users?
      (That is, by proxy, wether it's "normal" or not?)

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      • dappled
        11 years ago

        I did dodge the question (although I considered answering it). One of the people I was going to mention was you, funnily enough. There are a handful of people on IIN where I see people in real-life and think, "Oh, I bet such and such an IIN user looks like that". I did it for you a couple of weeks ago and I saw a Saycheese-alike last week (although that one was cheating because I know what she looks like).

        Again, I'm holding back on speculating in public about how you look because I'm not sure you'd want me to, even if everyone knows it's pure speculation and doesn't describe you. I would describe the mental image if you wanted, though.

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        • TerryVie
          11 years ago

          haha, that actually was not even demanded in the question, but do go ahead for extra credit.
          I think i wrote a couple things about myself already in diverse threads, so...i'll simply only confirm or refute those elements of your mental image :)

          really, everybody guessing or describing is just doing extra credit :) I was really only puzzled if it's even normal that i "connect" you guys with imagined personas with nothing but what you wrote to "guide" this persona creation process.

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          • dappled
            11 years ago

            Hehe, I've only seen one thing you said about yourself. I don't imagine you as blonde, but I can't see you with black hair either, so I'm guessing some shade of brown. I see you as very slim and willowy, conventionally pretty, with blue eyes. :)

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            • TerryVie
              11 years ago

              haha..
              i'll withhold on my real hair color, but my current one? Its the reason i choose my username color :)
              I am quite slim, thank you for telling me i'm willowy(had to look it up, learned a new word, seems like a compliment :D ), conventionally i don't know about, and pretty is quite subjective i'd guess :)
              Eyecolor is almost correct :) Unfortunately no deep watery mountain ponds, rather a river near steel industry -_- My favorite are intense green contacts though.

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            • Allistalla
              11 years ago

              I imagine you sitting under me in a chiar haha do you get it?

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  • [Old Memory]
    11 years ago

    Im new on here, and I'd like to be a regular. How to do that, I do not know.

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  • myboyfriendsbitch
    11 years ago

    I kind of feel like most people here are white... with a couple Asians, a handful of Latinas, a few biracial people and the occasional passing black person.

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    • shuggy-chan
      11 years ago

      filthy fithly asians

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  • kupokupo
    11 years ago

    I think it's completely normal! And I'm interested to hear how people imagine me :) please feel free to try, anyone!

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    • NoraBaker
      11 years ago

      Hey, the only mental image I am able to form of you thus far is very tribal and indelible. It's of you and disthing dancing together. I might have woken up neighbors laughing at 4 am that day. I didn't get to say it then, so I'm glad the perfect chance presented itself. :D

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      • kupokupo
        11 years ago

        Haha!!! Why, thank you Nora!!! :D! I'll talk to disthing about special treatment for you ;) And by that I mean a free, all-inclusive training lesson on penis dancing!!! (penii will be provided).

        I'm not really expecting anyone to get close, hence the reason I'm asking, but thank you for introducing yourself! It's a pleasure making your acquaintance!

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        • NoraBaker
          11 years ago

          Hey, the pleasure is all mine! I always dreamed of having a penis! Can't wait for the lessons!!!

          But really, just because of all that and your username I did create a mental image of you instantly and it's a mix of two people and something else obscure. Two dancers from pasts seasons of So You Think You Can Dance, Kupono and Mark, with your humor and profile picture. Interesting. The other users I have more solid images because I've known them a lot longer, heard them describe themselves or seen pictures. You're a perfect example of how we create images as soon as we can, for we are extremely dependent on them to "understand" users as people, not just colorful names. kupokupo, winner of SYTYCD IIN Edition!!! Woohoo!!!

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          • disthing
            11 years ago

            I'm carving your penis out of turtle shell and securing it with palm leaves. It'll be glorious! A most delightful strap-on :)

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            • NoraBaker
              11 years ago

              For heaven's saké! I was never notified about this. I hope I didn't miss any lesson or performance!! Thank you so much, disthing! I can't wait! ;)

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          • TerryVie
            11 years ago

            *eyes the whole conversation suspiciously from the shadows*

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            • NoraBaker
              11 years ago

              Aw, I have a mental image of you too, Tee! I'm sure it's closer to the real you than dap's! hahaha

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          • kupokupo
            11 years ago

            Haha!!! I can completely understand why you chose them but sadly both are nowhere close :p I think my profile picture is a bit misleading. It's just me fanboy-ing final fantasy so it's not really related to me :)

            You're completely correct! It does show that we are visual creatures dependent on images to understand and form an impression of people :)

            Woohoo!!! Thank you Nora :D I'll be sure to keep up the hard work and improvise even more radical dances :D

            I won't give away how I look just yet in case anyone else wants to try but it will be hard considering I haven't been here long :)

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            • NoraBaker
              11 years ago

              I am and was all along aware that the odds were very slim. I didn't actually believe you looked like a mix of FF and a fluffy gay dancer or Lady Gaga's quirky first dancer, just because your username, color of choice, profile pic and general attitude evoked images I associated them with. I guess my intention was more to expose how the mind (in this case my dirty mind) works, and rather quickly, in creating the image we just talked about. *god I can't concentrate, why doesn't he stop dancing? Should I say something?* So, kupokupo, you've already welcomed me enough, sweetheart, it's okay to sit down and have a soda or something, okay? :D

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  • NotFloydzie
    11 years ago

    Ehh, everyone here knows what I look like.

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  • alv1592
    11 years ago

    Can you guess what I look like? No cheating and looking at my Twitter/Tumblr ;)

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    • TerryVie
      11 years ago

      I'm so sorry :)
      I had to cheat and i just spent 10 minutes there looking at stuff, but i'll not spoil it for others that want to try ^_^

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      • keeping_up_with_da_kids
        11 years ago

        You remind me of a wall that holds everyone up.

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  • Captain_Kegstand
    11 years ago

    I have a mental image of most of the users on here, whom I haven't seen pictures of. There are several I know what they look like though.

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  • Shackleford96
    11 years ago

    Do me, do me!

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    • flutterhigh
      11 years ago

      Harder! HARDER!

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      • Shackleford96
        11 years ago

        Haha! I was wondering if anybody would make that into a sex joke XD

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        • TerryVie
          11 years ago

          well, i would have, but you stole my line ^_^

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          • Shackleford96
            11 years ago

            Opps, sorry about that :P

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    • [Old Memory]
      11 years ago

      i think u have sandy colored hair am i right?

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      • anti-hero
        11 years ago

        I thought that about him too!

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      • Shackleford96
        11 years ago

        Yes, I suppose it could be considered a sandy colored brown :)

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  • bananaface
    11 years ago

    I do the same, actually. I don't know where I get the image from, but I have one for most users. Most people are open about their appearance, gender, background, etc., though. So I guess it's pretty easy to make an image.

    I am interested in whether you have a mental image for me, though:D?! Or am I just a banana with a face?:P

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    • Captain_Kegstand
      11 years ago

      Lolz I actually do have a mental image of you!

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      • bananaface
        11 years ago

        :O

        Oh, you have to tell me now:D! I'm very curious:P! I have one for you as well, but you're one of the most open people on IIN, so that isn't surprising.

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        • Captain_Kegstand
          11 years ago

          Stereotypical I know, but for some reason I have this mental image of Bonnie Wright in my head for you.

          Older, attractive, fashion model Bonnie though, not post Harry Potter awkward looking Bonnie.

          http://s1.favim.com/orig/201109/14/bonnie-wright-fashion-ginny-weasley-girl-harry-potter-Favim.com-144652.jpg

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          • bananaface
            11 years ago

            Aww, she's lovely:D! I have a few similarities, I guess. My colouring is a bit different (I have dark brown hair), and a few different features. You could have guessed worse, though.

            And I'd describe my mental image of you, but you already have a picture on here, so it would be pointless:P!

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            • dappled
              11 years ago

              My mental image of you wasn't as far off as it might have been, then. I imagine you with brown hair and brown eyes. :P

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    • TerryVie
      11 years ago

      yep, it involves you being lovely and a backpack full with raided chocolates ;)

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