The Social Network does not define my generation.

| Posted by Lou | The time is 12.19pm here in Christchurch, NZ |

I was about to blog my complete disagreement that The Social Network "defines a generation". This theory was put forward by Rolling Stone's film reviewer Peter Travers, and then widely repeated by other media.

However, it seems that the generation has already reacted, with bloggers including [star of the film I actually think was the best of the year] Joseph Gordon-Levitt pointing out the untruth and limited nature of this claim.

I particularly enjoy his final comments, which manages to ably and humbly put the fuddy-duddies in their place:

So who’s gonna make the movie about us? I don’t know, but if I had to guess, it’ll be some group of kids who’ve never physically met, living in all different places, all far from Hollywood, trading ideas, uploading videos, and working together via one or another social network.

This brings me to the key thing that has fucked me off about this whole thing: I have not seen, read or heard one single person of my generation rave about The Social Network as really connecting with what it is like to be us. This seems to be a case of an older generation attempting to define our own... which to me says more about them than it does about us.

I would go further to say that I think the film is gathering so much acclaim and so many awards from older generations because it is a reasonably traditional "boy gets rich" story told in a reasonably familar way. This does not speak to the cultural shift, explosion of narrative forms and storytelling means that really define what is going on with us youngsters. (I actually read a review that called the film "innovative" - wtf.)

But perhaps I found The Social Network to be a bit meh (well-made, yes - but engaging? No.) because I come from the half of the population entirely relegated to a pathetic non-role within its story (again, something which to me defines an older generation rather than my own!). This point forms Reason #5 of this film bloggers' rebuttal.

We know the Academy want to give Fincher an Oscar, but hopefully before they submit the ballot papers a few of the voters pause to reflect upon what the generation they're forcing this definition upon really think about "their" film.