The film, “The Social Network” is a work of art that well portrays the effect of the cyber on today’s world.[i] More specifically, the film demonstrates the effect of the cyber on youth and young adults. The film highlights the importance of the social. With an ever-expanding technological world, the social experience has, for all ages, transformed from a face to face interaction among people in physically close proximity to a digital experience that can unite people across the world.
The introduction of the internet has allowed younger generations to gain power. As learning is most efficient at a young age, we see children and young adults conquering the computer and cyber worlds much more quickly than those members of older generations. Consequently, the younger gain power in the cyber realm. Mark Zuckerberg embodies the power of youth in the cyber, as exemplified by his ability to rig the system at Harvard. Coupled with his brilliance, his ability to understand the need for a positive social experience among students his age allowed for the successful creation of Facebook. Zuckerberg’s ability to identify that which is appealing, based on his personal experience, is crucial to the website’s success. The idea of exclusivity makes being a part of a given group that much more rewarding and unique. The idea of providing information with value is important here, too. It is human nature to find some topics intriguing and others unimportant, as we have discussed with the idea of the “narratable.”[ii] The idea of creating a relationship status adds to the social experience because of the heightened sexuality that is present in the college lifestyle.
What makes this film a respectable one is its ability to capture the idea of social life as the foundation of society. It can often be overlooked that without acceptance in the social realm, one is left out of culture because, in fact, the social is culture. As culture is a sharing of ideas and how a group of people do things as a community, the social aspect is the very essence of it. Because it is human nature to be social, we gravitate to outlets that let us belong and interact with those around us. Zuckerberg, understanding the need for such a realm, is smart enough to go and create a network that appeals to the masses. He identifies components that are engaging in the context of the internet, and uses resources, such as Sean Parker, to his advantage.
The idea of a site which allows someone to create a page for themselves, without ads and constraints, gives the user a sense of ownership. That youth are more likely to hold power in the cyber realm because of their familiarity with technology, as opposed to the familiarity of older generations with the internet, is interesting because of the absence of this power relationship outside of the cyber. When you work behind a screen, all age identifying characteristics may be lost, and a level playing field is created. In this way, young adults have the potential to hold power over millions, contributing to popular language and lingo such as “facebook me,” and helping to redefine the social as we know it.
[i] Fincher, D. (Director). Sorkin, A. (Writer). (2010). The Social Network [Motion picture]. USA: Columbia Pictures.
[ii] Herman, L., & Varvaeck, B. (2009, January). Narrative interest as cultural negotiation. Narrative, 17(1), 113.
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