Zuckerberg of "The Social Network"

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I finally watched "The Social Network" and beyond being a movie, I think this is the defining statement about socializing with respect to the Aspie, both a representation of the status quo, as well as a depiction of a dream made real.

Half of this film is the world we're excluded from, can never be a part of: beautiful normal people engaging in acts of idiocy by drinking and standing in the cold to become part of a club that others can't belong to. Women debase themselves and throw themselves at men with looks, money and social standing, and care nothing about depth or potential.

Enter Mark Zuckerberg (I should be clear, when I talk about Zuckerberg, I'm talking about the character in the film, not the real person. For all intents and purposes, we may consider the film's Zuckerberg a fictional character). Here is a guy who is an almost stereotypical aspie. Socially inept, few friends, yet a savant when it comes to programming. A damn genius. And using his gift, he is able to turn the world upside down, and take on all those who perpetuate the world which excludes him, by creating a world in which he is master, and they have to slavisly join (i.e. facebook).

He thoroughly humiliates the girl who stupidly rejected him because she misread his social ineptitude as assholishness. He refuses to play by the rules of the world, and instead shapes it to his own, and gets back at everyone. Achieves money, power, renown.

Some would rightly argue he was a jerk, that his actions isolated those around him. True perhaps. But I wonder, even if he'd been a nice guy, would he have gained acceptance? Doubt it. NTs are too set in their ways, too ignorant, too selfish and judgmental. He'd have been used and thrown away by the Winklevosses. So I'm glad he did what he did. Truly. He knew he couldn't play by the world's rules, and made his own way. He made millions, and earned himself a place as one of the great innovators of the 21st century.

I truly, truly liked this guy, and I'm going to take a lesson from him, and do what I have to do to achieve my goals, to achieve the success I want, and won't let the concerns of a few judgmental NTs get in the way of it.

Kudos to Mark Zuckerberg, both the fictitious one, and the real one!

You've got a good point here.

I disagree that he totally humiliated the girlfriend (lots of couples have disagreements, and yes, what he did may have embarrassed her, but that part definitely was a fictional device in the movie and did not happen in Zuckerberg's real life). He did something that potentially could have humiliated the girl, but my impression of her was more that she just didn't feel a connection with him, and he was mad and decided to do this web site as revenge in the heat of the moment. An NT, if capable, would have done the exact same thing.

What I thought was the supreme moment in the film was the discussion in what I think was a deposition with the lawyers, Zuckerberg's friend who he supposedly shortchanged in the building of the business, and the twins who maintained that THEY were the creators of Facebook. I cannot quote the scene, because frankly it's way too lengthy and brilliant for me to catch in its entirety, but in typical Aaron Sorkin keen intelligence (the screenwriter) it basically verbally mashes the twins and their lawyer to a pulp, and he ends the diatribe with something like "does that answer your insipid question?" LOVE that moment.

Also, what is key in that moment is how someone with Asperger (whether Zuckerberg actually has asperger's is still up for question) "tendencies" can completely be in charge of their lives, in charge of the moment, in charge of any situation because of a laser-sharp ability to focus. If one can hone that skill, it's a possible ticket to real success, and an ability that can completely pulverize some over-zealous NT's. I don't know how much this sort of thing happens out in the real world, but I sure enjoyed the movie version.

I didn't know that Mark Zuckerberg had Asperger's syndrome.

Neither does Mark Zuckerberg.

I know a few people who thought he was an @$$hole when they saw the movie, but I must agree - I REALLY liked the character that was portrayed and wish I knew a guy like him. In fact, the only think I didn't like about him was that he let the Napster guy screw over his best friend/roommate even though all he did was try to help the site.

That's also a world I have absolutely no desire to join, and I'm sure a lot of other Aspies feel the same. JSYK.



Yep, quite a cool victory on his part, but it's all empty in terms of the social inclusion because those people still don't like him. Not really. They just think his site is cool.



A better type of victory, but he doesn't completely reject the world since he still wants to be a part of it. He uses his genius to sink to the level of the idiots around him and I don't get why.



I don't think he's such a great innovator, he just took an idea that'd been done a million times before and made it look a little different. It caught on because it was exclusive to certain schools and everyone wanted in - that was a very smart marketing tactic, though.

But you make some good points about his behaviours. If he was more submissive he would have been walked over, whereas, instead, by being a bit of an ass, he kept the money and power for himself.



I have the same view and I wish you luck in your goals.



I'm sure he does.