Difference between revisions of "Talk:James Tobin"

Revision as of 20:09, 15 November 2011

Interesting idea of using your girlfriend and roommate as outside sources in helping you portray your self avatar. Doing so really helps get a less biased reflection! Makes a lot of sense considering that you mention that people shouldn't care what you look like but rather who you are.

For your fantasy avatar, your description is filled with such passion and is very admirable. Although it doesn't seem like you really had any outside sources that influenced your choices in selecting your avatar's traits, it looks as though in general you desired someone who was a strong leader, fearful, and mysterious. Your analogy of your avatar to "Modern Warfare" presumably refers to the game and if so, perhaps that was what influenced your choices. I would have liked to see a more detailed description of how you decided to pick the traits that you did.

Great point in mentioning how the Evolver software doesn't allow the avatars to have any "life", especially regarding the eyes. The avatar indeed seem to just blankly stare back and not expressing any realistic, non-forced emotions. I can see why you feel a bit distant from it. It doesn't seem like you had many problems in selecting desirable traits for your fantasy avatar though.

Overall, this is very well-written and incorporates a lot of personal reflections.

1) how did the author use an outside source(s) of information to anchor their reflection.

James does not mention any clear outside sources, aside from his girlfriend and friend assisting him with the creation. But I find his outside sources for his fantasy avatar are used very well. I enjoyed reading the meaning behind the details he chose for his character. I can definitely sense that the avatar was carefully thought out. Unlike most other students, they created a fantasy avatar that was physically daring. James had meaning behind every details. His character is wearing boots because they have to get work done, they are wearing a suit because that is how most people fight their biggest issues. Even the body shape was considered. His detailed description really brought upon the importance of how certain combinations of physical traits really do hold some powerful information about someone.

2) how well did the author describe the issues that he or she faced in creating the two avatars.

James states very clearly the issues at hand that he faced when making his avatar. The first is that he himself did not know what he looked like. I liked his big point of focusing on the properties of humans eyes. I agree that the eyes are a very important aspect not only to their physical traits (because it what people have to look at during face to face communication), but also as a judgement on their character. I also like that James attaches this virtual property such as his avatar "lacking life".

3) Overall I am very glad I came upon this reflection. I enjoyed reading this very much.

Winston Nunez