The year is 2004. A tall man in an expensive suit and a young Harvard dropout sit across from one another in an enormous Manhattan corner office.

Venture Capitalist: Okay, so what is “The Wall,” and what does it add to Facebook?

Mark Zuckerberg: Well, you see… The Wall is a public or private social forum where users can communicate with each other—

Venture Capitalist: Communicate about what?

Mark Zuckerberg: I don’t know… pie?

Venture Capitalist: Pie?

Mark Zuckerberg: Yea, pie. And whether they like KFC… or think it better than Burger King. And what they ate for dinner that night.

Venture Capitalist: Uh, Facebook sounds really fascinating, but it’s just not what we’re looking for right now. Exit is on your left.

Mark Zuckerberg: Damn.