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All these Brilliant People at Facebook Make Me Sad

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Re: All these Brilliant People at Facebook Make Me Sad

#61

Post by temphn »

frossie wrote: post #58
patio11 wrote: post #24

My mother, who was disabled by a stroke some years ago, relies on no non-medical technology as much as she relies on Facebook. It is how she keeps up with the family, who are scattered across the country (and, er, world), without which she would never get to talk to aunts/uncles/cousins since they see each other only at events/reunions and she often isn't well enough to travel. I respect that folks don't find a lot o…

To be fair to the OP, their argument isn't "since I don't use it, nobody uses it". Their argument was a (totally defensible IMHO) personal expression of disappointment about all the brain work going into something whose impact seems to have peaked (in that those who want it already have it, and the rest of us don't have a problem it can solve). Sure, Facebook is a utility to millions or even billions of people, but s…

Respectfully disagree that Facebook has peaked. Once growth settles down at 700 million users or so, they will roll out service after service. Start thinking about all the things you could do with it. Overthrowing countries is just the beginning.

Re: All these Brilliant People at Facebook Make Me Sad

#62

Post by temphn »

dschobel wrote: post #48
briggsbio wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess I get where you're trying to go with that statement, but you're wrong. Both of those afflictions cross socioeconomic boundaries. And the science behind each, while certainly exploited for it's obvious economic benefit, is nothing to laugh at. Talk to a patient with alopecia universalis (total baldness across entire epidermis, including eyelashes, etc.) or primary venogenic impotence (inability to get erection…

That the afflictions cross economic boundaries is obvious, but how about access to those treatments? The fact that pharma companies pursue these issues vs some more life-threatening is a pure profit calculation based on those with the means to pay for them. But don't get me wrong, I'm a dyed in the wool free-market man so I have no issue with them applying their resources however they see fit, but let's dispense with…

The issue is that society thinks it's ok to charge $50k for a fancy car but not for a lifesaving treatment. In the former situation you have a choice, in the latter you have no choice.

Re: All these Brilliant People at Facebook Make Me Sad

#63

Post by temphn »

notJim wrote: post #51

I see the value of Facebook (though I don't personally get a whole lot out of it), but at times I greatly sympathize with the author's broader point that brilliant minds are being put to use doing things I find empty. I'm very into graphic design, and interaction design, but the fact that it all goes to selling soap and deodorant and candy makes it feel like such an empty pursuit for me. How many of the people coming…

Arguably, soap, deodorant, and candy are a lot more important and useful than most art, appreciated only by a few.

Re: All these Brilliant People at Facebook Make Me Sad

#64

Post by ThomPete »

wslh wrote: post #32
ThomPete wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then I guess you know what your next project is going to be.

I don't think I have the talent from that. That's why the article is important, a lot of minds are spending time in lower priority items from a humanistic point of view.

It doesn't take a clever computer scientist to set out for world peace, ending poverty and increasing health.

If you really feel so strongly about it why not set up a fund that attempt to fund exactly those 3 areas.

Talent has nothing to do with it.

Re: All these Brilliant People at Facebook Make Me Sad

#65

Post by frossie »

temphn wrote: post #61
frossie wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair to the OP, their argument isn't "since I don't use it, nobody uses it". Their argument was a (totally defensible IMHO) personal expression of disappointment about all the brain work going into something whose impact seems to have peaked (in that those who want it already have it, and the rest of us don't have a problem it can solve). Sure, Facebook is a utility to millions or even billions of people, but s…

Respectfully disagree that Facebook has peaked. Once growth settles down at 700 million users or so, they will roll out service after service. Start thinking about all the things you could do with it. Overthrowing countries is just the beginning.

You may be right that Facebook has not peaked, but saying Facebook overthrows countries is kinda like saying the inventor of the quill wrote the Declaration of Independence.

Civil dissent overthrows governments. Ubiquitous communication methods certainly help organise civil dissent - but let's not forget that the French in 1789 managed it with pamphlets and soapboxes.

Re: All these Brilliant People at Facebook Make Me Sad

#66

Post by edanm »

patio11 wrote: post #24

My mother, who was disabled by a stroke some years ago, relies on no non-medical technology as much as she relies on Facebook. It is how she keeps up with the family, who are scattered across the country (and, er, world), without which she would never get to talk to aunts/uncles/cousins since they see each other only at events/reunions and she often isn't well enough to travel. I respect that folks don't find a lot o…

I don't even think you have to go to "extreme" cases of people who are disabled in some way, and use FB to communicate.

The truth is, Facebook obviously provides some value, since people use it. But because of the sheer number of users using it, the value it provides is multiplied by a lot. The overall value to the world is huge, simply because so many people derive value from it.

I do agree that we hear more about FB because it's highly visible. My friend once told me that a startup that could make the world a whole lot better, is to create something that improves traffic conditions by 10%. Especially in countries with heavy traffic, this would literally save millions of hours for people. But it's not a "sexy" field, so it's doubtful anyone would ever hear about it.

P.S. Sorry to hear about your mother, hope she's doing well.

Re: All these Brilliant People at Facebook Make Me Sad

#67

Post by ja2ke »

temphn wrote: post #63
notJim wrote: post #51

I see the value of Facebook (though I don't personally get a whole lot out of it), but at times I greatly sympathize with the author's broader point that brilliant minds are being put to use doing things I find empty. I'm very into graphic design, and interaction design, but the fact that it all goes to selling soap and deodorant and candy makes it feel like such an empty pursuit for me. How many of the people coming…

Arguably, soap, deodorant, and candy are a lot more important and useful than most art, appreciated only by a few.

It doesn't take a brilliant mind to sell them, though, so in that respect it's a waste.

You need brilliant people if you want to fan the flames of emotional need in your customers, pursue deliberate brand segmentation and diversification and other stuff like that which takes traditional commodity goods and mutates them into the Swiffer Max Wipes Mop Pack EX Refills or whatever but culturally soap on its own sells itself at this point.

Re: All these Brilliant People at Facebook Make Me Sad

#68

Post by ern »

If you want a specialized device like a digital camera, then Facebook is not the place to look for advice from high school buddies, but for advice on what phone to buy, it could be. I asked my FB friends for advice on that very topic, and it was very helpful - and knowing the people giving the advice helped greatly because I was able to decide whose opinions to give weight to, and they knew my circumstances - they advised me on which phones are robust enough to withstand a toddler at home without me explicitly asking about that.

Friend groups and the newsfeed do a good job of controlling awkward oversharing - I see updates mostly from people who I care about, and this seems to be constantly improving. This has added immensely to the value of Facebook for me, and a time saver. The effort Facebook puts into this is very valuable and certainly not a waste of resources.

Re: All these Brilliant People at Facebook Make Me Sad

#70

Post by thecabinet »

dschobel wrote: post #3

Is it any worse than the reams of medical researchers working on giving old affluent men hard-ons and their hair back? I doubt it...

What's your point? "You dont like something? Well I don't like somethig else!" Well, other than demonstrating you don't know what you're talking about? "Viagra" was originally developed to treat heart conditions. Human testing subsequently demonstrated it was ineffective, but uncovered its tumescent properties.
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