The Social Commentary

On this, Chapter One of Killing My 2010 Vacation Days, I was awakened at 6:52 a.m. by the dog.  He wanted me to know that his mother had left for work and he did not want to be alone.  I did not get back to sleep.

Whenever I have a random day off, I think about going to the movies.  I generally don't.  I think I see one movie in the theater each year - the last being Star Trek.  I even skipped the last Harry Potter.  I refuse to go on a Saturday night.  Re.  Fuse.  Friday at 11:10 a.m. was worth a try, so I went to see The Social Network.  There were five of us in the theater.

I know, I know.  Punk kid movie.  Why did I want to go and see a punk kid movie?   Two words:

Aaron Sorkin.

Sorkin is just about my favorite writer in Hollywood and let me tell you, I could feel the old magic in the very first scene, when Zuckerberg's girlfriend dumps him in a Boston bar.  The dialogue is fabulous.  The Zuckerberg character is a total ass.  Seriously.  I have known social climbing jerks and I have known genius jerks.  But I am happy to say I have never in my life met such a foul combination of the two. 

I am sorry to say that the ex-girlfriend, with about five minutes of total screen time, is the most sympathetic character in the entire film.  "Arrogance" is the word that best characterizes this story to me.  Or maybe "hubris".  (And not a politician in sight!)  Seriously, people.  If history determines this tale is 50% true, then I submit:  it is already too late for this country, civilization is dying and we are all going to hell.

I don't know what made me the most uncomfortable.

1. The idea that nerds are really manipulative paranoid vengeful thugs that think they can get away with anything because they are smarter than the rest of us.  Please tell me this is not true.
2. The idea that entrepreneurs are really manipulative paranoid vengeful thugs that think they can get away with anything because they can pay us all off.  Please tell me this is not true.
3. Justin Timberlake.  That was a scary performance, and I totally bought it.
4. The idea that people at Harvard really think their harvard.edu addresses make them hot. 
5. That in this country, a $65 million settlement could be considered, "the equivalent of a speeding ticket".

I am on Facebook all the time.  My current status reads, "I feel dirty."