The FaceBook movie

I just watched the movie. Really good one. And lessons for all start-ups.

Mark’s drive reminded me of a story I had heard of Michael Jordan: he used to be teased for his relatively short height at college and made him train harder to make himself excel through.

Mark had very few friends. Yet with his analytic mind, this (lack of popularity) frustration made him think how the social networks work. Made him solve the problem, and probably one of the most wanted FaceBook profiles. One – or “the” – most popular guy with the measures of his society.

Exclusivity, social groups (clubs, fraternities, schools), relationship status – these are clear signals of who you are – what level of social power you have – especially in the US, or the IV environment where Mark fed himself. If FaceBook was European, we would probably see less on relationship statuses and which school network you belong to and more on whom you share a flat with and political associations.

If I had to bet where participatory budgeting and online democracy will flourish, it makes sense to expect some marginalized groups leading the effort – those who are frustrated (most) and figure out how politics work, and carry it to an online and efficient environment. Brazilian Porto Allegre participatory budgeting process could be a good example of such initiative.