--- title: "Mark Zuckerberg Says That When Employees Call Him the “Eye of Sauron,” It’s Actually a Compliment" description: "During a recent interview, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that he was given a brand new nickname by the people working for him: Eye of Sauron." date: "2022-04-01" modified: "2022-04-01" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-eye-sauron" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "mark zuckerberg" - "Meta" - "metaverse" --- # Mark Zuckerberg Says That When Employees Call Him the “Eye of Sauron,” It’s Actually a Compliment ![During a recent interview, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that he was given a brand new nickname by the people working for him: Eye of Sauron.]() *\Image: Getty Images/Futurism\* It sounds like Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg isn't exactly loved by the people working for him. During a [recent interview with YouTuber Tim Ferriss](), Zuckerberg revealed that he has a brand new nickname at the company. "Some of the the folks who I work with at the company they say this lovingly, but I think that they sometimes refer to my attention as the Eye of Sauron." Those folks are, of course, referring to the Dark Lord's form in the "Lord of the Rings" books and movies. But rather than focusing too much on, you know, the association with the books' literal embodiment of evil, Zuckerberg honed in on a conveniently different interpretation. He claims his new moniker refers to his "unending amount of energy to go work on something." In short, Zuckerberg is the kind of boss who likes to preside over his underlings with the same kind of intensity that could cast an eternal shadow on Mordor — if he so chooses. It's perhaps representative of a greater work culture coming out of Silicon Valley that has often prioritized productivity and long working hours over a healthy work-life balance. At least Zuckerberg seems to be aware of the potential harm his Eye of Sauron could do, telling Ferriss that he tries to "diffuse" his energy and "manage my schedule so I can actually focus on the things that I'm naturally thinking about." The admission comes as Meta has shifted much of its focus to developing the Metaverse, an [unpopular virtual reality playground]() that just [hasn't really caught on]() in any meaningful way — yet, at least. And Zuckerberg is hellbent on pushing that agenda, even if it's not the most popular option. "At this point, I kind of feel like if people fully feel like they understand what we are as a company and what we're doing, then I'm not pushing it hard enough," he told Ferriss. In other words, Zuckerberg has made up his mind about his company's future, even if investors [are far from enthusiastic]() about his vision. But given the fact that he holds the majority of the company's voting shares, they'll either have to agree — or fall victim to his Eye of Sauron. **READ MORE:** [Mark Zuckerberg says his employees refer to his intense attention as 'the Eye of Sauron' after the menacing, flaming eye in 'The Lord of the Rings']() **More on Zuckerberg:** *[Facebook Busted Paying Consulting Firm to Turn Users Against TikTok]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()