Foot: History of Facebook

I have never liked Facebook, Myspace or any other social networking website. They are causing my generation to value superficial relationships over genuine interactions, these social networks are working towards making our society anti-social by encouraging computer use over face to face interactions. People confuse social network websites for some new innovation that has brought about a new way to 'stay in contact', the only legit reason for social network sites is for lifelong friends and family who are physically separated. The instant gratification that Facebook offers makes the relationships it fosters less meaningful because real relationships take time and effort. Facebook has made my generation more impersonal like its founder. I may dislike Facebook, but I loved the article "History of Facebook". It was a modern tale of entitlement, new markets, young entrepreneurs, greed, and taking our fellow man for granted (I am going to see that new "social network" movie now that this article has grabbed my attention and thoughts).

I was reluctant to read this story at first, but I'm glad I read it. It is so much more in touch with our reality than the average user while posting on Facebook. The story doesn't surprise me all that much, Mark Zuckerberg was a prep school boy with an overwhelming sense of entitlement who only knew computers and the concept of 'getting ahead in life by sitting behind a computer'. His social ineptness and isolation allowed for him to develop into a callous person who didn't value real relationships (he is the father of superficial relationships). I dont have anything against computer geeks who get rich from some new idea, more power to them, but I do have a problem with people who work with others to create a new product and then cut out the others. Mark's overwhelming greed and inability to keep collaborate and give credit make Mark an easy target for the media. The way Mark used his friends and their ideas time after time is definitely illegal, but the very 'loose' way in which they created Facebook allowed for Mark to cut and run every time he got a better opportunity to bolster Facebook. As I was reading this article it was playing out like a Greek tragedy where the main character's hubris leads to their downfall, but we haven't reached the point in time where Mark's overweening pride and ambition lead to his downfall.