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The Social Network · 2010 — Chapter 4 of 23 · 2'01" · B2

Zuckerberg Faces the Ad Board, Explained: make an example out of

At his Harvard disciplinary hearing, Mark is charged with breaching security and violating copyright. Instead of apologizing, he argues he deserves credit for exposing the system's flaws: "I believe I've pointed out some pretty gaping holes in your system." The arrogance is the point, and the joke lands minutes later.

What happens

Mark attends an Administrative Board hearing at Harvard, accused of breaching computer security and violating copyright. Given the chance to make a statement, he refuses to grovel and instead claims he deserves recognition for finding the school's weaknesses. Afterward, a friend jokes that the school had to make an example out of him.

CourtroomInterrogationsConfrontingExplainingStrangersB2fastamericanClean
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make an example out ofgaping holesin charge ofa sense of humor

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Phrase of the scene

make an example out of

Punish someone to warn others

Eduardo 对 Mark 说，学校不得不 make an example out of you，解释六个月察看期。

The coach made an example out of the star player and benched him.

Also in this scene

  • gaping holes

    Obvious and serious gaps

  • in charge of

    Responsible for

  • a sense of humor

    The ability to see a joke

Everything marked in this scene

20 notes across 37 lines

Phrase · B2spelled the usual way"Cameron" spelled the usual way.
Phrase · B2be accused of doing somethingYou're being accused of intentionally breaching security, violating copyrights,
Grammar · B2being accused of

passive gerund: The passive gerund names an ongoing accusation.

You're being accused of intentionally breaching security, violating copyrights,
Phrase · B2in violation of somethingYou're also charged with being in violation of university policy, on distribution of digitized images.
Phrase · B1make a statementBefore we begin with our questioning, you're allowed to make a statement.
Phrase · B2stem from somethingAs for any charges stemming from the breach of security, I believe I deserve some recognition from this board.
Phrase · B2gaping holes in something

Obvious and serious gaps

I believe I've pointed out some pretty gaping holes in your system.
Phrase · B1be in charge of something

Responsible for

I'm in charge of security for all computers on the Harvard network, and I can assure you of its sophistication.
Phrase · B2assure someone of somethingI'm in charge of security for all computers on the Harvard network, and I can assure you of its sophistication.
Phrase · B2lead someone to someoneIn fact, it was that level of sophistication that led us to you in less than four hours.
Grammar · B2it was that level of sophistication that led us to you

it-cleft: The it-cleft puts the sophistication in focus.

In fact, it was that level of sophistication that led us to you in less than four hours.
Soundled us to you

liaison

In fact, it was that level of sophistication that led us to you in less than four hours.
Phrase · B2would be impressive, except ...That would be impressive, except if you had known what you were looking for,
Soundif you had known

weak form

That would be impressive, except if you had known what you were looking for,
Grammar · B2would have seen it written

subjunctive with would have: A past counterfactual: had known, would have seen.

you would have seen it written on my dorm room window.
Phrase · B2make an example out of someone

Punish someone to warn others

Wow. Well, they had to make an example out of you.
Phrase · B1for God's sakeBut I was kidding, for God's sakes. Doesn't anybody have a sense of humor?
Phrase · B1a sense of humor

The ability to see a joke

But I was kidding, for God's sakes. Doesn't anybody have a sense of humor?
Soundfor God's sakes

stress

But I was kidding, for God's sakes. Doesn't anybody have a sense of humor?
Phrase · B2manage to do somethingHow do you do this thing where you manage to get all girls to hate us?

Zuckerberg Faces the Ad Board, explained

What's really going on

The scene establishes the character in a single move. Mark is technically the one on trial, but he talks like the smartest person in the room, turning a punishment into a performance: "I believe I've pointed out some pretty gaping holes in your system." He is not wrong — the security team did take four hours and he did leave his work in plain sight — but being right is not the point. What the board wants is contrition, and what Mark offers is a lecture. The gap between those two things is where all his later trouble begins, and the quiet joke from a friend afterward frames it perfectly: when you act like this, the institution has to make an example out of you.

Theme

PrideMark refuses to apologize or pretend humility, treating a disciplinary hearing as a chance to prove how smart he is.
PowerThe board holds authority, but Mark challenges it by pointing out its flaws, setting up the conflict over who really controls the room.

Listen for

  • led us to you — liaison
  • if you had known — weak form
  • for God's sakes — stress
Wow. Well, they had to make an example out of you.

A friend's dry verdict: the punishment was not really about fairness, but about the university needing to show everyone the rules.

I believe I've pointed out some pretty gaping holes in your system.

The line that defines Mark: instead of apologizing, he presents the charges against him as a favor he did the school.

As for any charges stemming from the breach of security, I believe I deserve some recognition from this board.

His most audacious claim, turning a disciplinary hearing into an acceptance speech.

But I was kidding, for God's sakes. Doesn't anybody have a sense of humor?

A complaint that everyone else is being too serious, used here to deflect responsibility for his own words.

Questions about this scene

What is Mark accused of at the hearing?

Breaching computer security and violating university policy on the distribution of digitized images. The charges come from what he did with the Harvard face database.

Why does Mark say he deserves recognition?

Because he found real weaknesses in Harvard's security. Rather than apologize, he reframes his hacking as a service, which is exactly what annoys the board.

How long does Harvard take to identify Mark?

Less than four hours. The security officer says the system's sophistication led them to him quickly, and Mark replies that it would be impressive, except they only found him because he left the evidence on his window.

What does it mean to make an example out of someone?

To punish one person harshly in order to warn everyone else. A friend uses the phrase after the hearing, suggesting the sentence was about the university, not just about Mark.

The Social Network · 23 chapters

All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 5a no-brainerWinklevoss Twins Pitch Their Site
Chapter 1speak in codeErica Dumps Mark at the BarChapter 2take my mind offMark Builds FacemashChapter 3an awful lot ofMark Crashes Harvard's NetworkWatching · Chapter 4make an example out ofZuckerberg Faces the Ad BoardChapter 5a no-brainerWinklevoss Twins Pitch Their SiteChapter 6in a stampedeMark Pitches the Facebook IdeaChapter 7off the recordEduardo's Deposition Turns on EmailsChapter 8bounce aroundFacebook Launches Relationship StatusChapter 9give someone the fingerThe Winklevosses Debate Suing MarkChapter 10Facebook meEduardo Recalls Facebook's LaunchChapter 11monetizeMark and Eduardo Argue About MoneyChapter 12the minimum amountMark Answers with Minimum AttentionChapter 13written in inkErica Confronts Mark Over the InternetChapter 14the shoe's on the other footSean Parker Wakes Up at StanfordChapter 15make that callThe Winklevosses Meet President SummersChapter 16a dog in this fightSean Parker Wins Over MarkChapter 17stir the potEduardo's Chicken Deposition StoryChapter 18once-in-a-generationSean Parker Meets Mark in Palo AltoChapter 19at our disposalThe Winklevosses Decide to Sue MarkChapter 20get left behindEduardo Confronts Mark Over SeanChapter 21let bygones be bygonesEduardo Freezes the Company AccountChapter 22in all honestyEduardo Signs Away His SharesChapter 23lawyer upMark Dismantles Eduardo at Facebook
Chapter 4 of 23 · about 59 min to go