The Social Network & Millenials
Mark & the Millennials: Portrayal of Generation Y in The Social Network
The Mark Zuckerberg written for the screen by Aaron Sorkin has a line in David Fincher’s The Social Network (2010) that simplifies the pursuits of Millennials to a single sentence. When asked why he feels that he must join one of Harvard’s revered final clubs, Zuckerberg replies, “Because they’re exclusive. And fun and they lead to a better life.” Appropriately, his eventual foundation of Facebook brings whole new meanings to exclusivity, fun, and future prospects. The Social Network is a filmic re-telling of how the “youngest billionaire of all time” came to prominence and took helm over the Millennial generation’s advancement by creating the world’s most popular internet destination. What better website could have been developed for a generation that places self-image, success, and recognition at the highest levels of importance? Furthermore, it is a generation that seeks to acquire those three traits with near-impossible immediacy. Millennials live in an extremely current, fast-moving society. One can find the newest news online, then refresh the page in a matter of minutes for even newer news. Facebook itself preaches currency through features like status updates and nowadays “the ticker”. Interestingly enough, representation of generation Y through rapid-fire conversation like that between Zuckerberg and his girlfriend in the film’s opening scene is outnumbered by depictions of life beyond the computer screen that are much slower. The scenes one expects to be the most active, such as fraternity parties and sporting events, actually provide comparatively serene interludes between the busier, talkative moments of the film. Whether in-person or technology-aided, interpersonal connections are the body and soul of this movie. For example, scenes involving Mark chatting with a girl, plotting computer mischief with roommates, gaining an audience with the students of Harvard, or
The Mark Zuckerberg written for the screen by Aaron Sorkin has a line in David Fincher’s The Social Network (2010) that simplifies the pursuits of Millennials to a single sentence. When asked why he feels that he must join one of Harvard’s revered final clubs, Zuckerberg replies, “Because they’re exclusive. And fun and they lead to a better life.” Appropriately, his eventual foundation of Facebook brings whole new meanings to exclusivity, fun, and future prospects. The Social Network is a filmic re-telling of how the “youngest billionaire of all time” came to prominence and took helm over the Millennial generation’s advancement by creating the world’s most popular internet destination. What better website could have been developed for a generation that places self-image, success, and recognition at the highest levels of importance? Furthermore, it is a generation that seeks to acquire those three traits with near-impossible immediacy. Millennials live in an extremely current, fast-moving society. One can find the newest news online, then refresh the page in a matter of minutes for even newer news. Facebook itself preaches currency through features like status updates and nowadays “the ticker”. Interestingly enough, representation of generation Y through rapid-fire conversation like that between Zuckerberg and his girlfriend in the film’s opening scene is outnumbered by depictions of life beyond the computer screen that are much slower. The scenes one expects to be the most active, such as fraternity parties and sporting events, actually provide comparatively serene interludes between the busier, talkative moments of the film. Whether in-person or technology-aided, interpersonal connections are the body and soul of this movie. For example, scenes involving Mark chatting with a girl, plotting computer mischief with roommates, gaining an audience with the students of Harvard, or