The world according to Mark

I picked up a copy of Time magazine while I was waiting for my daughter in the dentist’s office this morning and started reading about Mark Zuckerberg, its Man of the Year. Bravo to Lev Grossman, the writer. He presents an even-handed, intelligent and engaging look at the boy wonder (Zuckerberg is 26) and the world he’s created, called Facebook.

I couldn’t figure out why I was a bit jealous of Mark (besides the fact he’s a billionaire, at least on paper) until I read a quote from Sheryl Sandberg, FB’s COO: “I always wanted to work in places that felt like they were going to have an impact on the world.” Whether or not you’re a FB fan, fanatic or foe (my daughter falls into the last category and says, “It’s self-involved to think people care about what I’m up to from hour to hour,”) there’s no denying its impact on the world.

Mark sees the Web reorganized around people, according to the Time essay. “It’s a shift from the wisdom of crowds to the wisdom of friends,” COO Sheryl explains. “Mark wants to make the Internet, and the whole world,  feel more like a family, or a college dorm, or an office where your co-workers are also your best friends,” the article explains.

Like my daughter, I don’t think that’s necessarily such a good thing or even possible. But McDonald’s and Wal-Mart aren’t part of my life, either. So maybe I’m not the best example of where the world is headed.


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