Extravagant Gesture or Red Flag? Experts Weigh In on Zuckerberg’s 7-Foot Sculpture Gift
Public Display of Affection or Social Media Strategy? The Debate Surrounding Zuckerberg’s Instagram Post
Mark Zuckerberg really is on a quest to become the internet’s favorite “wife guy.”
This Tuesday, the Meta CEO shared a very special gift he had given his college sweetheart and wife of 12 years, Priscilla Chan: a 7-foot sculpture of her.
“Bringing back the Roman tradition of making sculptures of your wife,” Zuckerberg wrote humorously in a caption on an Instagram picture showing Chan—casually sipping from a mug—standing next to the towering turquoise-and-silver statue.
Interestingly, the gift doesn’t seem to be pegged to any special occasion. The couple’s wedding anniversary is in May, and Chan’s birthday falls in February. So, the timing of the gesture becomes all the more interesting.
Commenters on Zuckerberg’s Instagram post were split. Some thought it was sweet; others labeled it cringe-worthy. The statue was designed by NYC-based contemporary artist Daniel Arsham, known for his large, futuristic works.
However, Massachusetts-based clinical psychologist Isabelle Morley—a couples therapist—shared her professional take with Business Insider: such lavish gifts could mean a little more than meets the eye.
Context Is Key to the Extravagant Gift
He noted that the meaning of such gifts really does change when dealing with the ultra-wealthy. With Forbes listing Zuckerberg’s net worth as over $169 billion as of August 15, a piece by Arsham, in Zuckerberg’s case, might be taken differently than it would for an average person.
But no matter how much money people have, the question Morley always wants people to ask themselves is, “What was the purpose of this gift?”.
For those who have worked up from less privileged backgrounds, the luxury gift could stand as a symbol of their hard-won success, Morley said. “It’s a way to honor what they have worked for and have built and is a way to showcase that and to take care of someone they love.”.
On the other hand, Morley warned that gestures can sometimes be forms of manipulation or an attempt to elicit a particular kind of response from the receiver. “Some people use those kinds of gifts to repair after bad behavior or even abusive behavior, which I’m not saying the statue is, but that’s always something you’ve got to be aware of,” said she.
For anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of such an over-the-top gift, Morley recommends asking themselves a few essential questions: Is there a significant occasion attached to it, like an anniversary? Do they have a feeling of anticipation attached to it for their reaction?
“Was this, ‘I did something wrong, so I’m going to make up for it by giving you something shiny to make you forget about it?'” Morley said.
In fact, the most significant red flag to Morley about Zuckerberg would be if he did, indeed, look at it and prescribe some expected effect or reaction of the gift in return for spending so much money on it.
Posting Lavish Gifts on Social Media Can Also Be a Red Flag
Morley also noted that the act of posting such lavish gifts on social media may mean more than a gesture alone. Indeed, Zuckerberg, with his 14.5 million followers on Instagram, shared the picture of the statue with a massive audience.
Morley wondered why.
“Was it just to show his deepest love and appreciation for her and who she is, and who she’s been in his life?” she asked. “Or was it really to look good for other people and to get a certain affectionate response from her?”
Furthermore, Morley said she’s especially wary of those couples who seem to need to express their love in public on very curated social media platforms. She points out that studies have shown that couples posting a lot about their relationship online might be less happy in real life.
“Was this a huge statue because Mark really wanted a huge statue? Or was this because Priscilla was like, ‘You know what? I love art. I would love a gigantic, kind of Roman-inspired piece,'” Morley said.
Ultimately, whether the gift is sweet or cringey comes down to Chan’s opinion, Morley said. And it seems Chan approves of the statue.
She commented a red heart emoji on Zuckerberg’s post that read: “The more of me the better?” and Zuckerberg replied, saying “Always” back with another red heart emoji.
“If she thinks it’s sweet, it’s sweet,” Morley shared.
