“Like Me” - Thoughts On Facebook + The Movie

For someone who joined Facebook reluctantly, I was surprisingly excited to see The Social Network. I saw it today and really liked it. It was sheer curiosity about how someone could create something so huge.

I held out joining for as long as I could. But Facebook is such a phenomenon that I felt like I could no longer participate in modern social life without being on it. I got peer pressured into it.

And I'm saying this as someone who prefers twitter and blogging as far as social media goes. But Facebook brings everyone, regardless of age, back to that place inside when you’re young and want to be one of the cool kids who gets invited lots of places and hears news before anyone else. It's almost primal. As social animals, it’s a survival extinct to want to be accepted by other people.

“You like me. You really really like me.”

When Sally Field accepted her Oscar for Places In The Heart, I wonder if she knew how famous the revamping of her actual quote would become? Below is the actual quote:

"I haven't had an orthodox career, and I've wanted more than anything to have your respect. The first time I didn't feel it, but this time I feel it, and I can't deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me!"

Maybe it’s so often repeated incorrectly for the same reason that Facebook’s Like Button is so fundamental to just about everything we see online. We simply like to say, "You like me." We also like to share stuff that we like. And now we "like" just about everything.

Social relationships are key to our survival. Based on what I saw in the movie, finding that social acceptance was a struggle for Mark Zuckerberg. He was able to tap into that longing that all of us feel and turn himself into a billionaire by doing it.

Facebook, like just about everything else in life, reminds me of Seinfeld. Remember the Independent George episode where worlds collide?

Many people agreed that they didn’t like it when worlds collided. Well, with all the stories about Facebook impacting lives, it turns out that we actually do like it.


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Comments

SharleneT said…
I got forced onto Facebook, too, but discovered it was a great way to keep up with extended family and friends,quickly, with just a few words... the connection lets me share vacations almost as they happen because of uploading photos, etc... I don't just accept everyone who wants to friend me, though, there has to be a real life knowledge of the person, not just a friend of a friend of a friend request... have fun!
Jess said…
Great post, Anali. I actually STILL don't have a Facebook account (!) but that doesn't stop me from being completely fascinated by the whole thing. I'm really looking forward to seeing this movie. Slightly tangential to the topic at hand: Did you read Malcolm Gladwell's article in this week's New Yorker about social media and "activism?" (quotation marks intended) Check it out. I'd love to hear your commentary.
alessandra said…
I do have a FB account, but I don't like it, haha
However it's interesting, I'd like to see the movie, thanks for sharing.
Tracy said…
I've not seen the movie yet, but looking forward to it. I was on Facebook briefly, but I didn't like it either. I did Twitter for a while, mostly to enhance my business--or hoped that it would increase my business potential. But had to close my shop, and with that closed my Twitter account. I did enjoy Twitter a lot, but was feeling too much of my time was spent in a digital way. Looking for a more real life, less digital life at the moment. ;o) Many keep bugging me to try Facebook again. No, no peer pressure moves me! Thanks for sharing and your thoughts, Anali.. Happy Week ((HUGS))

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