She said, "Facebook me and we can all go for a drink later," which is stunningly great for two reasons.The Social Network · 2010 — Chapter 11 of 23 · 3'12" · B2
Mark and Eduardo Argue About Money, Explained: monetize
One partner wants to start making money from the site; the other refuses to add ads because they would kill what makes it cool. Their argument is interrupted by a cease-and-desist letter: "They came to me with an idea, I had a better one," Mark insists.
What happens
Facebook is growing, and the two founders disagree about what to do next. One wants to monetize the site; the other calls its coolness a priceless asset and refuses ads. Then a cease-and-desist letter from the Winklevosses surfaces, and the trust between them starts to crack.
Listen for
monetizea priceless assetnot a big dealmore than mildly annoying
00:00 / 03:12Space play · ← → lines · R repeat
Now
Phrase of the scene
monetize
Turn something into revenue
Eduardo 说 I said it's time to monetize the site，要把流量变成收入。
The app finally figured out how to monetize its free users.
Also in this scene
- a priceless asset
Something extremely valuable
- not a big deal
Not important
- more than mildly annoying
Seriously irritating
- screw around with
Mess with or play games with someone
- owe money to
Be in debt to someone
Everything marked in this scene
28 notes across 74 lines
non-defining which: The non-defining which comments on the whole sentence.
She said, "Facebook me and we can all go for a drink later," which is stunningly great for two reasons.Yes, have you ever heard so many different good things packed into one regular-sized sentence?- Awesome job with The Facebook. - Awesome job.- I'm Bob. - How you doing?You know, I could swear he was looking at youI doubt it.Shit, that makes sense.liaison
Shit, that makes sense.Shit, that makes sense.- Are you a moron? - Are you medically stupid?It's time to monetize the thing.liaison
It's time to monetize the thing.I said it's time to monetize the site.'Cause The Facebook is cool, and if we start installing pop-ups for Mountain Dew, it's not gonna be cool.first conditional: First conditional ties the money move to a loss of cool.
'Cause The Facebook is cool, and if we start installing pop-ups for Mountain Dew, it's not gonna be cool.Something extremely valuable
That is a priceless asset I'm not giving up.- So when will it be finished? - It won't be finished.elision
- So when will it be finished? - It won't be finished.Okay. But they manage to make money selling pants.Seriously irritating
I find that to be a little more than mildly annoying.Mess with or play games with someone
Don't screw around with me now. Look at me.No, it says I could face legal action.The grounds are our thing is cool and popular, and Harvard Connection is lame.Be in debt to someone
Look, a guy who builds a nice chair doesn't owe money to everyone who ever has built a chair, okay?relative clause: Two relative clauses separate building from copying.
Look, a guy who builds a nice chair doesn't owe money to everyone who ever has built a chair, okay?- Why didn't you show me this letter? - I didn't think it was a big deal.I'm the guy that wants to help. This is our thing.Mark and Eduardo Argue About Money, explained
What's really going on
The scene is the friendship's first real fault line. The two founders want different things from the same success: one asks how to turn a hit into a business — "It's time to monetize the thing" — while the other treats popularity itself as the valuable thing that ads would ruin. Then the legal threat arrives, and the argument becomes about honesty. Mark's claim that he did nothing wrong, "They came to me with an idea, I had a better one," is clever and self-serving at once, and his quiet decision not to show his partner the letter is the real break. From here, the movie is less about building a company than about who trusted whom.
Theme
MoneyTwo founders clash over whether to monetize the site or protect its cool image, setting up the business fight.
TrustHiding a legal letter from a partner is the small betrayal that starts the friendship's collapse.
Listen for
- that makes sense — liaison
- time to monetize — liaison
- It won't be finished — elision
It's time to monetize the thing.The business argument in one line: the site is popular, so it is time to turn that popularity into revenue.
They came to me with an idea, I had a better one.Mark's defense and his credo: an idea is not ownership, and a better execution is all that counts.
The grounds are our thing is cool and popular, and Harvard Connection is lame.A blunt summary of why they were sued: success and a rival's weakness look like unfair advantage.
I'm the guy that wants to help. This is our thing.A plea for partnership and honesty, made just before one partner hides the letter from the other.
That is a priceless asset I'm not giving up.Choosing coolness over cash: to this partner, the site's appeal is worth more than any ad revenue.
Look, a guy who builds a nice chair doesn't owe money to everyone who ever has built a chair, okay?An analogy meant to dismiss the lawsuit: building something similar is not theft.
Yes, have you ever heard so many different good things packed into one regular-sized sentence?A delighted reaction to being flirted with and told to look him up online, all in one plain sentence.
Questions about this scene
What are Mark and Eduardo arguing about?
Whether to start making money from the site. Eduardo, thinking as the business side, wants revenue; Mark refuses advertising because he believes it would make the product uncool.
What is the cease-and-desist letter about?
The Winklevosses claim that Mark stole their idea for Harvard Connection and built Facebook from it. The letter warns of legal action and is the first sign of the lawsuits to come.
Why does it matter that Mark hid the letter?
Because Eduardo learns his partner kept a legal threat secret. The hiding, more than the idea dispute, damages the trust between them and points to the split later in the film.
What does a priceless asset mean here?
It means something so valuable it should not be traded for money. Mark uses the phrase for the site's coolness, arguing that its appeal matters more than early advertising dollars.
The Social Network · 23 chapters
All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 12the minimum amountMark Answers with Minimum Attention
Chapter 1speak in codeErica Dumps Mark at the Bar
Chapter 2take my mind offMark Builds Facemash
Chapter 3an awful lot ofMark Crashes Harvard's Network
Chapter 4make an example out ofZuckerberg Faces the Ad Board
Chapter 5a no-brainerWinklevoss Twins Pitch Their Site
Chapter 6in a stampedeMark Pitches the Facebook Idea
Chapter 7off the recordEduardo's Deposition Turns on Emails
Chapter 8bounce aroundFacebook Launches Relationship Status
Chapter 9give someone the fingerThe Winklevosses Debate Suing Mark
Chapter 10Facebook meEduardo Recalls Facebook's Launch
Watching · Chapter 11monetizeMark and Eduardo Argue About Money
Chapter 12the minimum amountMark Answers with Minimum Attention
Chapter 13written in inkErica Confronts Mark Over the Internet
Chapter 14the shoe's on the other footSean Parker Wakes Up at Stanford
Chapter 15make that callThe Winklevosses Meet President Summers
Chapter 16a dog in this fightSean Parker Wins Over Mark
Chapter 17stir the potEduardo's Chicken Deposition Story
Chapter 18once-in-a-generationSean Parker Meets Mark in Palo Alto
Chapter 19at our disposalThe Winklevosses Decide to Sue Mark
Chapter 20get left behindEduardo Confronts Mark Over Sean
Chapter 21let bygones be bygonesEduardo Freezes the Company Account
Chapter 22in all honestyEduardo Signs Away His Shares
Chapter 23lawyer upMark Dismantles Eduardo at FacebookChapter 11 of 23 · about 39 min to go