Social Networks are Like the Eye approaches social networks through the lens of social trends as they are transmitted through social networks, thereby fueling the network and the trend, itself; then, it applies its findings to online social networking.  In this sense, social networks are contagions because they contain contagions: flows of social trends, social groups, and other amorphous entities pervade the networks from one end to the other.  Moreover, Christakis believes networks to be active beings and must be treated as active agents.  Christakis invokes weight gain to describe trends.  Weight gain among one’s friends leads to one’s own weight gain; interestingly, weight gain among people in one’s “social horizon” also have a degree of influence on weight gain on the individual.  In some cases, the relationship’s intensity did not matter: strangers and friends, alike, had profound impacts on weight gain.  These behaviors are dictated by preferences.  For instance, online privacy norms (e.g. hiding pictures on Facebook can conjure the impression that one is mysterious and desirable) emanate from the fact that “privacy is a taste.”  As an aside, partial inspiration for interaction is derived from age-old societies, who perceived well-ordered societies to be the optimal breeding ground for progress and engagement.

Social trends provide another motivating factor for engaging with online social networks.  Rather than seeking senses of community, humans are once again inspired by topics to “talk about” or “objects” rather than social networking, itself.  Moreover, accusations of social networking sites’ transience are further supplanted by the volatile modality of social trends from one media medium to another.