In ‘The Social Network’, the Winklevoss twins appeal to then Harvard President Larry Summers to force Mark Zuckerberg to honor his commitments to them. The scene is hysterically funny: Schlump bests preps.
But the scene left me troubled. It’s a commentary on students and universities – not just Harvard. Never has the instrumentality of that network of relationships been made plainer or to seem emptier.
The scene was back in the news today with Summers’ comments on his meeting with the Winklevii and on male undergraduates generally. Fortune (via The Daily Beast) reports:
One of the things you learn as a college president is that if an undergraduate is wearing a tie and jacket on Thursday afternoon at three o’clock, there are two possibilities. One is that they’re looking for a job and have an interview; the other is that they are an a**hole. This was the latter case.
Now-Prof. Summers is not at his best; the Winklevii are twins, not Siamese twins.
But we see how deeply his portrayal in ‘The Social Network’ has affected the former Treasury Secretary, Harvard President and Chief Economic Adviser to the President. So, a close look at the scene is in order.
The text below is excerpted from the screenplay on the official site of ‘The Social Network’ (pp. 88-95). [1] The Winklevii and their point are not ludicrous, and they better Summers whilst being demeaned and dismissed:
LARRY SUMMERS, a large man, is on the phone at his desk in his well-appointed office….
SUMMERS waves the boys in–
SUMMERS (into phone)
That’s just their own stupidity, I should have been there.
Darkness is the absence of light and stupidity in that instance was the absence of me.
***
CAMERON
Good morning, sir. I’m Cameron Winklevoss and this is my brother, Tyler.
SUMMERS reaches to the top of a pile of papers and pulls a ten page letter off the top.
SUMMERS
And you’re here because…
There’s silence while SUMMERS appears to read over the letter…
***
CAMERON
We came up with an idea for a website called HarvardConnection … and Mark Zuckerberg stole that idea and–
SUMMERS
I understand. I’m asking what do you want me to do about it.
CAMERON points to a row of Harvard Student Handbooks on the bookshelf behind SUMMERS.
CAMERON
Well sir, in The Harvard Student Handbook, which is distributed to each freshman–under the heading “Standards of Conduct in the Harvard Community”–
SUMMERS can’t help an agonized sigh–
CAMERON (CONT’D)
–it says, “The College expects that all students will be honest and forthcoming in their dealings with members of this community. All students are required to respect public and private ownership. Instances of theft, misappropriation–
***
CAMERON
…or unauthorized use will result in disciplinary action. Including requirement to withdraw from the college.
SUMMERS
And you memorized that instead of doing what?
***
TYLER
(a little frustrated with this bullshit)
Sir, it’s against University rules to steal from another student, plain and simple.
***
SUMMERS
I don’t see this as a University issue.
TYLER
Of course this is a University issue. There’s a code of ethics and an honor code and he violated them both.
SUMMERS
You entered into a code of ethics with the university, not with each other.
TYLER
I’m sorry President Summers, what you just said makes no sense to me at all.
SUMMERS
I’m devastated by that.
CAMERON
What my brother means is that if Mark Zuckerberg walked into our dorm room and stole our computer that would be a university issue, right?
SUMMERS
I really don’t know, this office doesn’t handle petty larceny.
TYLER
This isn’t petty larceny.
***
SUMMERS
You might be letting your imaginations run away with you.
***
Well I would suggest that you let your imaginations run away with you on a new project.
***
CAMERON
I’m sorry, but that’s not the point.
***
You don’t have to be an intellectual property expert to understand the difference between right and wrong.
SUMMERS
And you’re saying that I don’t?
CAMERON
Of course I’m not saying that.
TYLER
I’m saying that.
SUMMERS
Really.
***
SUMMERS
Let me tell you something, Mr. Winklevoss and…Mr. Winklevoss. Since you’re on the subject of right and wrong. This action, this meeting, the two of you being here, is wrong. It’s not worthy of Harvard. It’s not what Harvard saw in you. You don’t get special treatment.
***
TYLER
Start another project? Like we’re making a diorama for the science fair?
SUMMERS
And if you have a problem with that, Mr. Winklevoss–
CAMERON
We’ve never asked for special treatment.
SUMMERS
–the courts are always at your disposal. Is there anything else I can do for you?
‘The Social Network’ is a very sad, very wise movie. In days gone by, it is what would be called a ‘coming of age’ film. But what makes it contemporary is that no one comes of age: not the Winklevii, not Zuckerberg, and certainly not Summers.
‘The Social Network’ is ‘The Graduate’ of our time, a mix of Animal Farm and ‘Animal House’.
Note:
I omitted without indication some stage directions. All dialogue omissions I’ve indicated with elisions.
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