# Would you trade lives with Mark Zuckerberg? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 29, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702 "2010-12-29T15:11:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/21 "2010-12-29T18:49:51Z")
Oh hell no. Being famous sucks. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/22 "2010-12-29T19:28:38Z")
No. Slightly NSFW language [http://www.observer.com/files/full/weekeneder111808.jpg](http://www.observer.com/files/full/weekeneder111808.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/23 "2010-12-29T20:09:40Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > I wouldn’t trade lives with anyone, because no one else is married to my wife and has my children. Yeah, the toughest part would be convincing my wife that it’s me. Which, as we all know from watching countless “switcheroo” movies, leads to all sorts of _double entendres_ and wacky hijinks. ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/24 "2010-12-29T20:22:53Z")
I think he could disappear without too many hassles. Sure he is very well known but I seem to remember reading that he still walks to work every day, wears scruffy clothes and drives a very average 5-year old car. If he can walk to work without being hounded (when people know where he lives and works so could meet him if they wished) then he should be able to blend back into society if he so wished. I would think if he moved away, changed his name and got a haircut he could walk down a busy street without so much as a glance. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/25 "2010-12-29T22:40:25Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > All those downsides can be mitigated by selling off Facebook to someone else. Once I’m him, I’m not running it. I don’t know how. > > And I guess I’d have to get fat and change my look and name, and move to some little town–where I would want to live anyways. Out in the boonies, no one would recognize me. > > I’m not the type who would keep all the money, either. But I’d like to at least be able to not have to worry about money problems for the rest of my life and the lives of my living family. The rest can go to various charities. > > The only downside I can see is the stress of having to set all that up–but that would be worth it. I don’t really understand what you’re proposing - it seems like you’re agreeing to become him and then giving up all the things that make him who he is as a result. If you don’t really like money, have no interest in running Facebook (or something comparable) and are just planning to live a quiet life in the sticks then why make the change at all? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/26 "2010-12-29T23:50:40Z")
Would I be able to change Facebook’s policies to be (much) more privacy-friendly? If so, switching might be a small price to pay to make the Internet world a little better. (That’s ignoring, as others pointed out, what else you could do with all the money.) ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/27 "2010-12-30T01:47:09Z")
Sure I would. Then I would shut down facebook, take the money, and run. And spend my cash enjoying my neato male genitalia with hookers and blow. HIGH CLASS hookers! ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/28 "2010-12-30T06:49:18Z")
Yup. With the caveat that the first thing I would do is sell Facebook to the highest bidder and become a hermit. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/29 "2010-12-30T07:44:50Z")
Yes. No wife or kids here. Lawsuits are what lawyers are for. Even if a friend IS in it for the money, I’ve got $6.8 billion, so it’s not like I’m going to run out any time soon. And shit, even if I lost every cent I’d still be the broke MOFO I am right now. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/30 "2010-12-31T21:36:10Z")
No. Then I’d be a boy, eww, and I don’t think I could convince my husband to swing that way even for a billion dollars. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/31 "2011-01-02T17:24:52Z")
Yes. Then I’d immediately cash out and retire and let somebody else be Mark Zuckerberg for a while… ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/32 "2011-01-02T19:30:34Z")
Probably not. As others have said, losing your relationship to your siblings, parents and other family isn’t worth the money. Plus I have no idea what his actual life is like. Riches are nice but tons of wealthy people struggle with depression, addiction and despondency too. All I know about him is he created a web site that became popular. If I had his money though I’d probably start several research organizations devoted to human health. That’d be nice. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/33 "2011-01-02T19:41:50Z")
There’s a word for people who claim they don’t want to be a billionaire (and by saying you wouldn’t switch, that’s EXACTLY what you’re saying), the word: LIAR!!! OF COURSE I’d switch with Zuckerberg in a HEARTBEAT! Are you f-ing KIDDING ME? :dubious::rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/34 "2011-01-02T21:36:34Z")
No, I like my own life just fine and I’m not sure that I would like being famous. (Besides, if we’re _trading_ lives, that means he gets mine, right? I feel kind of possessive about my life, and it seems fairly obvious that he wouldn’t live it the way I would.) ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/35 "2011-01-02T22:15:25Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > There’s a word for people who claim they don’t want to be a billionaire (and by saying you wouldn’t switch, that’s EXACTLY what you’re saying), the word: LIAR!!! OF COURSE I’d switch with Zuckerberg in a HEARTBEAT! Are you f-ing KIDDING ME? :dubious::rolleyes: No, I want very much to be a billionaire, but I have a really awesome life right now and I don’t know what kind of troubles that guy has. Money doesn’t solve everything, and my relationships with my family are worth a whole hell of a lot to me. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/36 "2011-01-02T23:02:23Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > No, I want very much to be a billionaire, but I have a really awesome life right now and I don’t know what kind of troubles that guy has. Money doesn’t solve everything, and my relationships with my family are worth a whole hell of a lot to me. Money solves ALMOST EVERY PROBLEM!!! :rolleyes: Unless someone has psychaitric issues/addictions or a traumatic past, $$$, BY DEFINITION, cures problems! ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/37 "2011-01-02T23:09:30Z")
Yes. Similarly to what a few others have said, I’d immediately sell my share of Facebook and spend the rest of my life goofing off. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Doctor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/38 "2011-01-03T03:49:46Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Money solves ALMOST EVERY PROBLEM!!! :rolleyes: Unless someone has psychaitric issues/addictions or a traumatic past, $$$, BY DEFINITION, cures problems! Eh, money solves a certain class of problems. It doesn’t solve all problems, nor even peoples most important problems (which ususally involve relationships, family, happiness, etc.). Maybe money helps in some cases, but it is not the cure-all for all that ails ya! Having said that, I think being MZ would be a blast! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/39 "2011-01-06T15:55:10Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > I don’t really understand what you’re proposing - it seems like you’re agreeing to become him and then giving up all the things that make him who he is as a result. If you don’t really like money, have no interest in running Facebook (or something comparable) and are just planning to live a quiet life in the sticks then why make the change at all? Because I’m pretty dadblasted poor, and would take as much money as I actually needed before doing any of the above. But I know that having any more money would be a burden. And, honestly, borderline immoral, when I could be using that money to help someone else. I couldn’t in good conscience turn down the offer when I could be giving that money to other people to make their lives better. I’m honestly surprised so many other people can. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702/40 "2011-01-06T16:18:15Z")
While I’d certainly like his money I wouldn’t want to be him. I don’t agree that money fixes all problems, it’s easy to see just by picking up a tabloid that it creates more than a few of it’s own. Now if for some reason he decides he wants to give up his life and live in a cave somewhere and he’s chosen me to hand over all his assets and responsibilities too I’m all over it! With my own personal support system I’m sure I can take care of the responsibilities of all that pretty pretty money very well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-trade-lives-with-mark-zuckerberg/565702.md?page=3)