--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that's been really the key, the…" description: "\"I think that's been really the key, the idea of trying to harness social capital for selling purposes. That we've let this happen so easily without cle..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/tim-wu-7845_happens_i-think-that-s-been-really-the-key-the-i_2765791.jpg" --- # I think that's been really the key, the idea of trying to… ![“I think that's been really the key, the idea of trying to harness social capital for selling purposes. That we've let this happen so easily without clearly getting something in exchange is kind of amazing to me.” quote by Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/tim-wu-7845_happens_i-think-that-s-been-really-the-key-the-i_2765791.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/tim-wu-7845_happens_i-think-that-s-been-really-the-key-the-i_2765791.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/tim-wu-7845_happens_i-think-that-s-been-really-the-key-the-i_2765791.jpg) > “I think that's been really the key, the idea of trying to harness social capital for selling purposes. That we've let this happen so easily without clearly getting something in exchange is kind of amazing to me.” [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Exploiting social networks for profit without reciprocity erodes trust and societal value. **In simple terms:** Using connections without giving back harms trust. Key Takeaway Give value when leveraging networks. Themes economics social capital ethics trust Mood analytical concerned Type expository thought‑provoking When to use this quote - business negotiations - online communities - political campaigns Key Concepts network theory reciprocity market dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure mutual benefit? - What policies protect social capital? A Different Perspective Some exchanges are inherently imbalanced; not all are exploitative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Selling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selling/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social capital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-capital/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Companies and managers that find a way to harness social media stand to gain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/companies-and-managers-that-find-a-way-to-harness-social-media-stand/) [Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/) > [The growing role of enterprise social media, plus the growing budgets and authority of CMOs entrusted with choosing the best platforms, translates into an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/the-growing-role-of-enterprise-social-media-plus-the-growing-budgets/) [Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/) > [“whatever you’re learning, see whether you can make a metaphor to help yourself understand the most difficult topic—you’ll be surprised at how much it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-oakley/whatever-you-re-learning-see-whether-you-can-make-a-metaphor-to-help/) [Barbara Oakley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-oakley/) > [There were various different keys in which European history had tended to be written. One is the lyrical key, the idea that somehow, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/there-were-various-different-keys-in-which-european-history-had/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [Destiny, quite often, is a determined parent. Mozart was hardly some naive prodigy who sat down at the keyboard and, with God whispering in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/destiny-quite-often-is-a-determined-parent-mozart-was-hardly-some/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [“Not coincidentally, the countries with the shortest workweeks also have the largest number of volunteers and the most social capital.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/not-coincidentally-the-countries-with-the-shortest-workweeks-also/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [What type of new economical system can organize this system? There is another sector in our life, that we rely on every single day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-rifkin/what-type-of-new-economical-system-can-organize-this-system-there-is/) [Jeremy Rifkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-rifkin/) > [“It is often a puzzle for foreigners why the United States has such a dismal performance when it comes to murder, guns, and mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/it-is-often-a-puzzle-for-foreigners-why-the-united-states-has-such-a/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [What really matters from the point of view of social capital and civic engagement is not merely nominal membership, but active and involved membership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/what-really-matters-from-the-point-of-view-of-social-capital-and/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [“Indeed, the recurrent critiques of the lack of diversity of Silicon Valley's VC sector and the companies that it backs can be seen as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haskel/indeed-the-recurrent-critiques-of-the-lack-of-diversity-of-silicon/) [Jonathan Haskel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haskel/) > [In reality, quitting Facebook is much more problematic than the company's executives suggest, if only because users cannot extract all the intangible social capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/in-reality-quitting-facebook-is-much-more-problematic-than-the/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [“You are the sum total of the people you meet and interact with in the world. Whether it’s your family, peers, or co-workers, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanner-colby/you-are-the-sum-total-of-the-people-you-meet-and-interact-with-in-the/) [Tanner Colby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanner-colby/) > [Women, who are a majority of the peoples of the earth, are indispensable to the accumulation of the kind of social capital that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahnaz-afkhami/women-who-are-a-majority-of-the-peoples-of-the-earth-are/) [Mahnaz Afkhami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahnaz-afkhami/) > [We have to learn to be allies to each other. We are in a deficit of financial and social capital, and TransTech aims to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-ross/we-have-to-learn-to-be-allies-to-each-other-we-are-in-a-deficit-of/) [Angelica Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-ross/) > [We have different expectations for different groups of people. We tend to modulate the degree with which we're forgiving or punitive depending on how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/we-have-different-expectations-for-different-groups-of-people-we-tend/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) ## More by Tim Wu > [Google has - at least at this point - maintained the line where it keeps organic results separate from the advertisements. But over time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/google-has-at-least-at-this-point-maintained-the-line-where-it-keeps/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [When you pay for stuff, it has more of your interests in heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/when-you-pay-for-stuff-it-has-more-of-your-interests-in-heart/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [“JUST WHAT IS GOOGLE? In 1902, the New York Telephone Company opened the world’s first school for “telephone girls.” It was an exclusive institution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/just-what-is-google-in-1902-the-new-york-telephone-company-opened-the/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [“When we speak of living environments and their effects on us, then, we are often speaking too broadly—of the city, the countryside, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/when-we-speak-of-living-environments-and-their-effects-on-us-then-we/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [Now, he doesn't control the media, but Donald Trump has been incredibly successful in having his face appear everywhere. You cannot go a day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/now-he-doesn-t-control-the-media-but-donald-trump-has-been-incredibly/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [The best antidote to the disruptive power of innovation is overregulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/the-best-antidote-to-the-disruptive-power-of-innovation-is/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [“In 1956, two psychologists, Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, would conclude that television’s representation of celebrities was carefully constructed to create an “illusion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/in-1956-two-psychologists-donald-horton-and-richard-wohl-would/) [tim wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [“Markets are born free, yet no sooner are they born than some would-be emperor is forging chains. Paradoxically,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/markets-are-born-free-yet-no-sooner-are-they-born-than-some-would-be/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [I want to say, however, one thing our media in America has done which didn't happen in other totalitarian states is it has very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/i-want-to-say-however-one-thing-our-media-in-america-has-done-which/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [Advertising just keeps getting heavier and heavier and heavier. It doesn't have any natural limit, and we haven't found the place for the limit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/advertising-just-keeps-getting-heavier-and-heavier-and-heavier-it/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [I wish more of the web had stayed nonprofit. But the advertising model took over and I think has delivered us to where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/i-wish-more-of-the-web-had-stayed-nonprofit-but-the-advertising-model/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [There's always people - it doesn't take many - who have a different psychological makeup than most of us who really get joy out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/there-s-always-people-it-doesn-t-take-many-who-have-a-different/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [In the media, traditional media like print, we had boundaries. You know, we had spaces that ads didn't leave. They stayed where they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/in-the-media-traditional-media-like-print-we-had-boundaries-you-know/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [Google - and some of the other sites, YouTube and, you know - Google has an amazing search engine. The map product is incredible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/google-and-some-of-the-other-sites-youtube-and-you-know-google-has-an/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [One thing that all the totalitarian states did was make the great leader's face everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/one-thing-that-all-the-totalitarian-states-did-was-make-the-great/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) [Explore all 87 Tim Wu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) ## More Happens quotes > [I could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. Being possessed by a promise I live without options. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/i-could-not-limit-my-values-and-pursuits-to-what-makes-others/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [Faith is the avenue to salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/faith-is-the-avenue-to-salvation-not-intellectual-understanding-not/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [The amazing thing is that we live our lives with the hope that things will go right, that things will happen. And all along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/the-amazing-thing-is-that-we-live-our-lives-with-the-hope-that-things/) [Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [This mind is a prison. It cannot find any freedom anywhere. It must die before freedom comes to you. But we have taken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/this-mind-is-a-prison-it-cannot-find-any-freedom-anywhere-it-must-die/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Evolution happens in jumps, very rapidly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/evolution-happens-in-jumps-very-rapidly/) [Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/) Browse all 13,486 Happens quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that's been really the key, the idea of trying to harness social capital for selling purposes. That we've let this happen so easily without clearly getting something in exchange is kind of amazing to me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tim Wu" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/i-think-that-s-been-really-the-key-the-idea-of-trying-to-harness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happens" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/i-think-that-s-been-really-the-key-the-idea-of-trying-to-harness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/tim-wu-7845_happens_i-think-that-s-been-really-the-key-the-i_2765791.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/tim-wu-7845_happens_i-think-that-s-been-really-the-key-the-i_2765791.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/tim-wu-7845_happens_i-think-that-s-been-really-the-key-the-i_2765791.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think that's been really the key, the idea of trying to harness social capital for selling purposes. That…” — Tim Wu", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tim Wu", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think that's been really the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/i-think-that-s-been-really-the-key-the-idea-of-trying-to-harness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/i-think-that-s-been-really-the-key-the-idea-of-trying-to-harness/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```