Soylent Green is People...

(Dan and I are discussing the recent and upcoming changes happening on Facebook. This is sort of the "abridged" version. Dan deleted his account yesterday. I am in the process of doing so - I'm working on transferring my photos.)

Me: It's hard convincing people that the world is not going to end if you don't have Facebook.

Dan: I know.

Me: It's the random-interval reward system that makes it so powerful. It's an endorphin release! People think the world revolves around them and will check the site to gossip, spy and engage in other attention-seeking behaviors. The world survived before Facebook. It's really just a World-Wide Backyard Fence, and people love to gossip. Mark Zuckerberg and his cronies don't really care about the people who use the site.

Dan: No, they don't. I believe you're right.

Me: Zuckerberg knows that people are addicted to Facebook and may gripe about the new changes, but will ultimately accept and put up with whatever changes he decides to implement. He could do anything.

Dan: What creeps me out is that Facebook is still privately traded. It's not a public company. They are able to do all these things that would not be accepted if they allowed the public to invest in their "company."

Me: It's true. Zuckerberg is counting on people thinking that the internet revolves around them. By subtly requiring people to share more and more personal information as time goes on, what's to stop Facebook from requiring a credit card number to "verify your account" 5 years down the road? Remember when they used to have that "security screen" that "required" you to put in your cellphone number for "security reasons?"

Dan: Oh, absolutely! I never put in my number, I always got out of it by clicking to another menu.

Me: Me too.

Dan: This is a really good explanation of what Facebook is: Think of Facebook like a store. YOU are actually not the "client." You are Facebook's inventory and the actual clients are the advertisers that you throughout the site. Facebook wants you to share as much as you possibly can because that inventory will interest more advertising clients and make them more money.

Me: You know, you could write a really creepy dystopian sci-fi novel about a future where people are addicted to social media, which is really being monitored by the government and the people who are not participating in the social media are shunned and ostracized.

Dan: They already have. It's called Nineteen Eighty-four.

Me: .............. Oh my gosh...

Dan: So yeah. Your idea is so good, that it's already been done, over 50 years ago.

Me: ... You're right. George Orwell predicted Facebook...

Dan: Yep. Facebook is Ingsoc, monitoring you through the telescreen of what you post online and share, whether you know what you're sharing or not.

Me: ................ Oh my gosh............. OH MY GOSH! FACEBOOK IS BIG BROTHER!

Dan: Yep.

Me: AHHH!!!! I AM REALLY CREEPED OUT RIGHT NOW!

Dan: I was too! That's why I deleted my account for a second time. The only reason I was holding on was because I liked seeing that I was in a relationship with you!

Me: Well, *I* still know I am dating you. And that's all that really matters... The idea of "Facebook Official" doesn't have the same weight as it did 6 years ago.

Dan: No, it really doesn't.

Me: And you know, if people want to know about my life, they can read my blog, or follow me Twitter or email me, or call. Facebook has lost my business.

Dan: Mine too.

Me: ..... I am still really creeped out........ Oh. My. Gosh....

Dan: I know. I know.