Buzzfeed motion pictures VP: “We live in a sharing economy”
'We live in a sharing economy', according to Buzzfeed’s vice president of motion pictures Jonathan Perelman.
Speaking at New York’s Social Media Week Perelman went on to elaborate that sharing had become an everyday part of today’society. He used the examples of ever-popular rideshares like Uber or Lyft and home-sharing platforms like AirBnB.
“When you share something with your friend you get currency that way. So it begs the question, why do we share? Why do we share content across the web,” he asked attendees.
While audience members shouted out everything from “to connect” to “to look cool,” Perelman believed that the real reason came down to two factors. The first, he said, even in an increasingly digital world, was that humans were keen to form community.
“I like soccer, you like soccer. Let’s talk about soccer,” he added.
The other reason, he continued, is to build a personal brand. He used the example of people who often share high-brow articles, or often share their locations. Overall, the process of sharing is not a new one.
“There was a time where sharing meant life or death,” Perelman said.
He mentioned a time when sharing information about gathering food could’ve meant the difference between eating a healthy mushroom, or a poisonous one.
Regardless of how or why humans share, Perelman predicted a continuation of this trend as people become more intimate with their personal devices than ever before.