'A force for alienation': How The Social Network predicted the future of tech
17 hours ago
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- #social-media
- The Social Network, directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin, was released 15 years ago and eerily predicted the problems with social media.
- The film portrays Mark Zuckerberg's rise from a Harvard student to the co-creator of Facebook, highlighting the youth and immaturity of tech entrepreneurs.
- The Social Network critiques American capitalism, comparing Zuckerberg to protagonists in films like Citizen Kane and The Godfather, who achieve power but feel hollow.
- Zuckerberg's character is depicted as immature, particularly in his motivations involving social status and relationships, though some aspects are fictionalized for drama.
- The film foresaw issues like social media fostering insecurity, hostility, and loneliness, which have been confirmed by recent studies.
- A sequel, The Social Reckoning, is in development, set to explore the broader impacts of social media on society, including its role in radicalization and alienation.