Talk:Socialite

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Socialite vs Socialist[edit]

The starting disclaimer does not appear to be compliant with the wikipedia standard of quality and superfluous; after all, who can possibily misunderstand Socialite with Socialist? Frankie 5 November 2011 9:21 (UTC)

Mineral[edit]

Socialite is a mineral no longer mined. Wetman 08:34, 23 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Like - can't someone on Wikipedia create a little Like icon so that Wikipedia can become more like Facebook?--79.34.11.198 (talk) 00:27, 17 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

We do have the "send thanks" function.--Kintetsubuffalo (talk) 20:51, 7 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Society[edit]

Something's missing in this article: how socialites are essentially professional members of what the rich people call "Society". You know, Malcolm Forbes, opera subscribers, the people Liz Smith writes about, the Junior League, coming-out parties, debutantes, etc. There isn't an article about that kind of "Society" and that's what makes this article's wording awkward. Cleduc 04:12, 8 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Take a stab at it! The article is going off-track with its listing of 'party girls'--that is, those who lead a notorious social life, as opposed to the socialite. 'Socialite' is NOT a synonym for 'spoiled rich girl'. Pet peeve: the 'examples' are fast becoming a LIST--perhaps inevitable on Wikipedia. I'm about to delete, delete. Create a list or a category, folks, please! Quill 07:46, 9 Jun 2005 (UTC)

So exactly what is a "socialite" then? Many biography pages have "socialite" listed as an "occupation". If we're going to categorize it under a well-defined term, I think we're going to have to do better than define what a socialite is NOT. How about defining what it IS? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.9.176.129 (talk) 15:27, 28 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Juicee News Daily[edit]

The website Juicee News Daily www.juiceenewsdaily.com is using the text of this article without attribution [1], claiming copyright, and offering to license the content. I just sent the Standard GFDL violation letter to the editor (at mailto:press@juiceenewsdaily.com and mailto:landon@juiceenewsdaily.com) to ask them to attribute it properly and include GFDL notice. Status of complaint also here. Cleduc 5 July 2005 01:21 (UTC)

OMG, this list is horrible.[edit]

"a person who does little more than attend society functions is not usually considered a socialite; words such as playboy and party girl are used instead" Now look at the list linked far below. Paris Hilton a socialite?? No, rather a party girl! But yes, this list should actually not exist, as it's extremely subjective. -andy 80.129.72.228 12:14, 9 November 2005 (UTC)[reply]

No argument outta me. Quill 03:30, 24 December 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Term is gender-neutral[edit]

Sorry, but the prior version of the opening was much more accurate. I've checked three dictionaries to be sure; the word is in fact gender neutral and no mention is made of its being applied primarily to homosexual males. Nor it socialite defined as a person who entertains/is entertained, but rather as a socially prominent person (Merriam-Webster) Quill 03:29, 24 December 2005 (UTC)[reply]

If you define "socialite" as a socially prominent person, the term becomes far too nebulous. There are many members of prominent families who do not participate in any social activities at all and are not "prominent in fashionable society" to use American Heritage Dic. definition. By your defition, such persons could be considered socialites because they are socially prominent on the basis of their familial connections.

Your definition does not define the word, it merely provides an example. I would also say that this definition "a person...social prominence who is considered to be an influential social figure" is a bit top heavy and ackwardly phrased, using the word "social" twice in the definition. "Fashionable society" again, to refer to the dictionary definition, consists of entertaining and being entertained. Therefore, my definition stands.

I also disagree that the term is gender neutral. Socialite has historically applied to women and therefore, when applied to men, carries homosexual/bisexual connotations. Authors ranging from Dominick Dunne to Stephen Birmingham and columnists Liz Smith and Cindy Adams of the New York Post, and Aileen Mehle ( of W Magazine's Suzy column) routinely list gay/bisexual male social figures as socialites, but use other terms to describe heterosexual men. Men of wealth who have no profession generally do not like to draw attention to the fact, Stephen Birmingham's America's Secret Aristocracy, pub. 1987, among other sources support this. Other terms would be used to describe heterosexual men of leisure: Playboy, sportsman, clubman, gentleman. See our discussion at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_talk:Socialites Thesaunterer 15:29, 26 December 2005 (UTC)[reply]

My definition'? Your definition? That is not what Wikipedia is. If you wish to add in objective discussion, be my guest, but do not simply state your opinion as fact. Quill 20:58, 27 December 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Please don't play semantics. This topic is already rife with personal opinion stated as fact. The point is to add a more accurate description of the word. I was merely stating that there is a precedent for what you call my "opinion". Thesaunterer 02:47, 28 December 2005 (UTC)[reply]

You are indicating that you wish to remove the dictionary definition, because you have evidence of other use. Fine, add it, but do not state it as fact. The way you presented your argument was an examply of original thought. Here's an example to help make it clearer: the word "gay" was still defined as "happy" long after the most of the world would have thought of "homosexual" as the primary use. The word did not stop meaning "happy" overnight. 203.164.114.213 02:36, 1 January 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Last paragraph has to go[edit]

"Although the word may sometimes be used to describe a person's occupation, a person who does little more than attend society functions is not usually considered a socialite; words such as playboy and party girl are used instead."

No, actually this is precisely what a socialite is. 'Playboy' and party girl are not necessarily synonyms.Thesaunterer 21:15, 26 December 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Socialite[edit]

Isnt a socialite just someone who is famous for either no reason or a bad reason? example, Paris Hilton for her grotty amateur porn, Jade Goody for...noone really knows...

I suppose a good way to think of it is as a High-Society celebrity, who doesn't disgrace themselves by getting drunk, wearing provocative clothing or have a so-called "foul-mouth". Paris Hilton can be called a socialite, I guess, because she was born into an upper-class family with outstanding wealth and social standing- see "celebutante". True socialites were born into an upper-class families with LOTS of cash and them and their distant descendants will NEVER have to work. JADE GOODY IS NOT A SOCIALITE! 88.109.245.206 (talk) 09:23, 9 April 2008 (UTC)[reply]

The definition of this term is suspect at best. Some consider the term socialite to be an insult, similar to a poser or wannabe. This article needs updating. — fcsuper^{(How's That?, That's How!)} _{(Exclusionistic Immediatist )}— 00:31, 13 October 2008 (UTC)[reply]

It's simple, really. If a person has ever dropped their monocle into their wineglass as an expression of shock, they're a socialite. If not, they're riff-raff. I don't have a source for that truth, unfortunately. InedibleHulk (talk) 17:36, 14 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Class[edit]

Socialite strongly implies upper class, particularly in societies that do not have a formal class structure. Thus, in the US, a socialite is oftem old money. 203.0.101.131 03:45, 23 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Category[edit]

This is the main article for Category:Socialites. Just as the article Novel is not a novel, it is however what describes a novel. If you would like another example, check out Category:People. Having to explain this boggles the mind. Cleduc 23:24, 4 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The last paragraph[edit]

I can afford to buy all those things - and i'm no socialite! Since when do material possesions determine if you're a socialite? --82.37.25.125 (talk) 11:48, 28 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Some of you are clueless[edit]

The traditional definition of socialite is merely a socially prominent person, or one prominent in 'fashionable society'. The many artists with no history of family wealth or social pedigree who have become prominent socialites are examples of why the term has nothing to do with quality of behavior, new wealth vs. old wealth, or familial prominence. The idea that wealthy American socialites whose families' wealth originated through business ventures are somehow just imitators of 'real' socialites such as European royalty is a distortion of the term, as is one poster's baffling assertion that 'old families do not really exist' in America. Perhaps they intended to say 'old wealth', but that would not be accurate either. I would hope that most are well aware that America started out as a European colony and its social scene, as well as its familial heritage is a continuation, not an imitation of, its the European origins. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.207.145.30 (talk) 22:22, 5 January 2010 (UTC) 207.118.29.62 (talk) 02:33, 28 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Occupation?[edit]

Socialite classified as an occupation? Really? 203.134.124.36 (talk) 04:00, 7 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

needs to be deleted[edit]

I came to this article out of raw curiosity, wondering how people get assigned to this category. There's nothing here -- not even something worthy of wiktionary. Is this a legitimate article? Is there a way to actually bring a sociological perspective to bear? DavidOaks (talk) 23:59, 14 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It's a waste of electrons. 207.118.29.62 (talk) 02:34, 28 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Garbage Article[edit]

Who actually wants to read about these people? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Fletcherbrian (talk • contribs) 04:31, 25 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Not to be confused with Socialist.[edit]

Not to be confused with Socialist. - what a brilliant disclaimer tag for the top of the page. Next, how about Apple, not to be confused with fair trade or Esso, not to be confused with Greenpeace? Though, to be honest I was expecting more from this article. Socialites are frequently talked about even in serious news media and it is a topic which can be extended much further than this short article.--79.34.11.198 (talk) 00:24, 17 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I once confused my baggage with a cabbage at a bus station. InedibleHulk (talk) 17:43, 14 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Confusion is possible in French; I do not know for English.

Few examples in French:

Sur le fond, notre but doit être d'aboutir le plus rapidement posible, mais non trop hâtivement, afin d'éviter les mécomptes des dernières lois. Nous devons donc adopter le projet qui semble avoir le plus de chances d'être voté à bref délai par les Chambres dès l'instant que rien dans les principes qu'il régit, soit contraire à la doctrine du Parti radical et radical-socialite, même si aux yeux de certains d'entre nous le projet puisse paraître trop modeste, l'amélioration en sera toujours possible par la suite, une fois que l'épreuve en aura été faite. (1908) L'Écho de Bougie : journal politique, littéraire, commercial & agricole
maire de Penhars radical-socialite (1925)
Peyrusse-Grande 4ballotages: 3 URD 1 radical socialite élus (1929)
Enfin nous notons également la présence de M.Lisbonne, conseiller générai,délégué financier, Président du Comité radical-socialite de Sidi-Bel-Àbbès. (1933)
Ballottage certain pour la conquête de ce siège que détenait un républicain national, M. Le Corbeiller, récemment décedé. Vingt-huit candidats. La lutte paraît devoir être circonscrite entre MM. Edmond Bloch, front républicain, Parès, député sortant d'Oran, Hirschovitz, S.F.I.O., Lange, radical-socialite, et Rigal, communiste. (1936)

At that time it was not a confusion because when the French socialiste and socialité words were yet existing, the English socialite word was not yet imagined. But nowadays, confusion might be easier, isn't it? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.136.208.80 (talk) 19:15, 17 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Improving this article[edit]

Right now this article is little more than a dictionary definition, something that is not suitable to a Wikipedia article. The information about the Social Register doesn't tie back to the actual term "socialite", and the source given doesn't use the word at all. For this article to survive, perhaps it could discuss socialites as a cultural phenomenon. For example, it could examine the decision of an individual to advance themselves through social activities rather than work. If there isn't enough to distinguish this from one of the many other articles linked here, like famous for being famous or the establishment, then this article should be deleted. Ibadibam (talk) 03:20, 14 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

"Society functions?"[edit]

Just the evening wardrobe of an individual regularly attending society functions can cost $100,000 annually.

WTF is a "society function," and in what way does attending them contribute to a socialite's success?

a) This isn't a Q&A page. b) Read the citation for that sentence. -- Jibal (talk) 05:16, 18 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]