When I first started using LJ I used to change my default quite often (every couple of months, maybe) or even just to suit a particular occasion (a holiday, season, or fannish event).
Over the years, though, I've changed the way I use my default. First off, I've started to think of having a unique default icon as a way of 'recognising' people on the internet. So, I don't change it as much. (I've changed it just twice in the past 3 years).
Nowadays I tend to choose something that people can easily associate with me and that is not necessarily fandom-related.
I don't judge people by their default icon, but if they use it a lot, in the end I associate them with it, whether I like it or not. It just becomes 'them' to me.
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Over the years, though, I've changed the way I use my default. First off, I've started to think of having a unique default icon as a way of 'recognising' people on the internet. So, I don't change it as much. (I've changed it just twice in the past 3 years).
Nowadays I tend to choose something that people can easily associate with me and that is not necessarily fandom-related.
I don't judge people by their default icon, but if they use it a lot, in the end I associate them with it, whether I like it or not. It just becomes 'them' to me.