The $104 billion question: What does Facebook’s value say about ours?

Washington Post ^ | 05/21/2012 | Charles R. Geisst

[circlecity]

"When public offerings break records, as Facebook did with most shares traded on the day of its IPO, they do so because the company mirrors how we see ourselves — and the image of the future we want to project."

If anyone can discern a coherant point in that gibberish please clue me in.

[Paladin2]

Sheeple are valuable?

[blam]

My prediction:

Facebook stock is gonna crash.

All the hype...seems like a house of mirrors to me.

The guys with the gold and silver are already sitting in their chairs. (ahem)

[PeterPrinciple]

If anyone can discern a coherant point in that gibberish please clue me in.

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They are selling lukewarm air................

[Red Badger]

As Sam Walton once said, “It’s only paper.”.................

[Larry Lucido]

Nothing.

Stupid article.

[Pollster1]

I still don’t see anything close to that much economic value in FaceBook. I have never followed a FaceBook ad, bought any of their merchandise (do they have any?), or spent any money based on information that showed up on FaceBook. I use it as a discussion board for my extended family, and even searching for a source of economic value over the weekend, I couldn’t find the justification for that share price and P/E ratio. I genuinely don’t get it, unless people are buying FB stock as this year’s Furby, Tickle-me-Elmo, Cabbage Patch Doll, Rubic’s Cube, and Pet Rock.

[ecomcon]

Facebook is an advertising and marketing company based on people talking about themselves and gossiping about others.

I do see it as a reflection of people’s value(s): ENTERTAINMENT IS ALL

[cuban leaf]

I remember the ridiculous prices being paid for cell phone bandwidth and I thought, man, they must know something I don’t. And now I have a basic plan with one of the cheapest providers and my cell bill for my wife and me is $116 a month. It is our third highest bill. And the company we use is still teetering on possible collapse, IMO (T-Mobile, also the company I worked for for five years before going Galt last year)

Regarding facebook, I turn down all requests for info and will not accept terms for any service from their video or photo sharing software to sharing my calendar. And I have NEVER clicked through to an ad. So maybe they are depending on a younger and less skeptical generation.

[PeterPrinciple]

The true test of social-networking companies may be proven in a future crisis. Will the federal government be likely to prop up Facebook as it did GM and Chrysler or even AIG and the big banks? That’s not a question about market hype or expectations. Only the hard facts about a company’s worth to the economy.

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Now there is a thought for your................

[Future Snake Eater]

It's, like, deep stuff, man. Words and stuff that, like, blow yer mind, man! Don't be a conformist!

[newfreep]

35.72

[SeekAndFind]

GM just pulled out its ads in Facebook. The claim that they spent $10 million in return for close to nothing.

BTW, for Facebook users out there, how many of you have ever really clicked on an advertisement when you see it?

[SeekAndFind]

RE: Facebook is an advertising and marketing company based on people talking about themselves and gossiping about others.

_____________________

GM just pulled out its ads in Facebook. GM execs claim that they spent $10 million in return for close to nothing.

BTW, to you Facebook users out there, how many of you have ever really clicked on an advertisement when you see it?

[SnuffaBolshevik]

$34.06 @ 0943 EDT.

[kingu]

Is there a myspace page for this IPO? Maybe a Geocities neighborhood? How about a LiveJournal review of it? How about at least an AOL board on it? A Prodigy Community?

Is it worth 1/3rd of Apple? Or half of Google? Well, it is part of everyday life for a whole lot of people. Then again, the same can be said for Twitter - not a sterling recommendation there.

If you bought it at the offering and sold it at 40, I think you did ok. If you’re still holding it today expecting it to increase in value, you’re putting your eggs in the basket of people who have no concept of investor relations (see Timeline.) Not to mention this magic system where people can go to share their lives, buy and sell, advertise, etc, can’t even be utilized to sell stock in the company.

[Atlas Sneezed]

It’s really quite simple. Find places where people waste time, and show them advertisements for stuff.

TV, facebook, newspapers, websites, freeway roadsides.

[blam]

"So maybe they are depending on a younger and less skeptical generation. "

And...

I keep reading that they don't have any money and probably won't.

[Baynative]

Mark Zukerberg is an Obama faithful. He is an icon of the OWS crowd, yet he is an ultimate 1%er. Obama asked "How much is enough" in his plea to raise taxes. So, it seems that Zukerberg should be true to his convictions and give away his money. It also follows that people should be dropping off Facebook in protest of him being so greedy.

(I also noticed that he waited until he had the money in the bank to marry his long time girlfriend)