So we watched The Social Network last night. Meh. I know I’m late to the party. Not that being on the tail end of some things is new for me in recent years. Especially movies. Because I am still living the Facebook life I guess it seemed a little forced since it’s so soon after it all happened.
I mean, is Facebook, twitter, get-back-to-me-in-15-seconds-or-I’ve-already-moved-on the world we live in now? By that of course I mean, with all the purging thoughts going out online is it like more time has gone by than actually has and as a society we feel that 2003 was already EONS ago? Because nine years really isn't all that long ago. Really.
I found it way too hard to follow at times although I knew the basic story. We all did. Didn’t we? We’re all on Facebook aren’t we? I mean the thing did kind of take over the world. Literally.
But the movie is never as good as the Facebook is it? Wait, what? There’s an actual book Called The Accidental Billionaires that the movie was based on and not just Facebook? Oh, sorry. I just assumed.
It had everything of course – mystery, suspense, romance (kinda), hipsters in hoodies, slick guys in suits, musicians as actors, people so cool even you haven't heard of them yet, dark shadowy filming, I think I even saw an explosion and Bruce Willis hovering in the background somewhere. Wait, what? I didn't? Oh, sorry. I just assumed.
I will say that it was great to see Michael Cera in the lead role, he never smiles and I like the shaky just-on-the-verge-of-tears tone in his pre-pubescent voice. Wait, what? Michael Cera is twenty-four and that wasn’t him in the movie, it was Jesse Eisenberg? Oh, sorry. I just assumed.
Anyway, watching the movie got me thinking about blogging and the stuff we put out there for the world to feast their eyes on. I’m pretty much happy to share just about everything – yes I slept with that person, yes I smoked weed (read: smoke if given the chance), no I’m not at all sure what really happened that night and I still don't regret it because I learned not to do that ever again, etc. – but not everyone is comfortable with sharing details of the past.
So I had this entirely different post written up, one asking a very pointed question. It mentioned a bunch of people. But even though I have no issue with being that outright forward other people might not understand why I’d do it. So I deleted the names and then I deleted the entire letter. And then I wrote this instead. Your welcome.
Because if I learned anything about watching the movie last night it was that sometimes you say things online and, not only is there no take-back but, it will cost you millions of dollars to make it right before you have the chance to make a movie about it that will make you even richer and more popular.
That was the moral I was supposed to take away from The Social Network right?
13 comments:
Didn't watch the series, didn't see the movie, didn't read the book ... talk about being behind the times ! In truth I am getting fed up with so much of what's on TV, especially the so-called reality shows, they're about as real as a 3 dollar bill.
Yeah things get said online and though it's said that what happen in Vegas stays in Vegas, it is different online. What's said online is instantly made available for everyone from Timbuktu to Kalamazoo to see and read.
Ok, what I took away from this was, "Yeah, I was going to tell you something, but nevermind." Now all I want to read is what you were neverminding. ;)
PS "You're welcome" in P8. ;)
PPS I wasn't all that thrilled with the movie either, but I guess it was worth checking off my "to see" list.
I might have to see this, I do agree that we really need to think about what we put out there so publicly. Great post again Jenn... so insightful:)
Lol... at least you got something out of the Social Network other than 'Mark Zuckerberg is a smug, heartless, backstabbing asshole' (but then what billionaire CEO isn't?) I agree that Eisenberg and Cera are practically interchangeable... except that Cera's a little smaller and more likeable? Maybe that's just me. Eisenberg was perfect for the role of Zuck, I don't think he's capable of emotion either! hahaha. Also, you forgot to mention that he sold out his best friend Spider-man on his way to the top. But I think Spidey won the box office battle, so...take that, Facebook!
Lol...now I'm confusing myself.
Anyway, I don't regret blogging about personal things (okay, my last blog was probably a bit over the top) because it's not only good therapy but good writing practice as well. I really don't see the point to Twitter though, other than a self-promotional tool. And aren't there enough of those? Facebook seems to have a lot more staying power (unless they get greedy) but I still think its overrated and past its prime. Remember MySpace? That came and went in, what, five years? So maybe these social media outlets are as disposable as the posts themselves. I dunno. You'd know more about it than me, being the social media addict and all ;-)
*laughs*
Right. Exactly.
(haven't seen it myself, but I'm SURE that's the correct takeaway!)
And I've been to Kalamazoo!
So true. And with the advent of social media things spread faster than wildfire these days (cough*50 shades of grey*cough). Only the controversial seem to succeed these days.
Sorry but I just can't reveal ;-)
Yeah now its out of my Netflix queue at least.
I guess I'm trying to balance what's revealed & could jeopardize the reputations of other online people to saying what I really want to say. Tough balance let me tell ya!
Well they certainly made him out to look like a complete jackwagon, that's true. I probably would have realized just how big a dick he was if I could've understood half the script. I mean, hell, I'm from Boston, the land of the fast talkers and still didn't catch at least half of it!
Therapy is exactly it - funny I just answered an interview question for my blog tour yesterday that asked about why/how I became a writer & journaling as therapy was in my response :-)
Twitter is good for self-pubs, connecting with other writers/readers & gaining promotion through other people without really having to ask for it - I post yours and you post mine. But its impossible to keep up with, plus you have to be smart about how/what you post there too.
Good lord, MySpace...haha!
Right? I mean what other purpose could it possibly serve...other than maybe to help get people excited before the stock went public. And (though its probably so over to say this turn of phrase now but) that was about the most epic fail in history. Yet he's still got money pouring out his ears and everyone uses his product.
i liked the social network, mainly because i feel like eisenberg completely captured zuckerberg. (but i do like cera better) also, my man JT played a super ass hat. and in the end (even though i can't "feel sorry" for a guy with a bajillion dollars) i do feel like he's probably a little misunderstood and highly functioning autistic so i cut him some slack. plus, i'm pretty sure that movie was not about publicity for an IPO as it was based on something unauthorized by zuckerberg.
facebook. love and hate it. i'm so hypocritcal about things i hate to read in other people's status updates vs what i write in mine.
i'm not sure why i'm refusing to capitlize in these comments. it's been a long day.
I think FB is an amazing phenomenon, and for the most part I like it. But I would never post anything, on FB or in my blog or in an email, that I wouldn't want the whole world to know about.
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