"playboy" [Was: article on the name "America"]

[Baker, John M.]

        I don't think you can ignore the influence of millionaire
playboy Bruce Wayne, surely the most famous playboy of them all.  It's
not always clear just what kind of "playing" Wayne does, but his status
as a playboy seems to include personal wealth; high society connections;
single status (i.e., neither married nor an exclusive relationship); and
a reputation for frivolity, including a perceived love of parties
(though he often misses them or leaves suddenly) and lack of serious
interests.  (This last is quite true:  Although Bruce Wayne, as Batman,
does take a deep interest in crime and justice, he largely ignores
everything else, including his company, Wayne Enterprises.  Compare Tony
Stark, a thoroughly committed industrialist.)


John Baker


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
Of Jonathan Lighter
Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2010 6:40 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: "playboy" [Was: article on the name "America"]

The pre-1920 "playboy" seems to have been primarily fun-loving (rather
than
"pleasure-seeking") and irresponsible, given (perhaps) to drinking,
fighting, sporting, and whoring. The term seems to have carried some
slight
opprobrium.

In contrast, the modern "playboy" is usu. well-to-do and socializes
successfully with
many women (who are not predominantly prostitutes).

The condition about prostitutes is significant.  As I read it, a young
man
in the 19th C. who consorted regularly with prostitutes and was
generally
irresponsible, but was also seeking a wife, would very clearly be a
"playboy."  Since the mid 20th C., however, the playboy doesn't want a
wife.
As OED suggests, he is also paradigmatically well-to-do. (Cue the Jordan
Playboy.)  However, if his "sexual promiscuity" is chiefly with
prostitutes,
he is not a "playboy."  A playboy easily gets social dates with numerous
women. He's still a "playboy" even if he's not having sex with them, and
"playboy" usu. carries little or no opprobrium.

"Sexual promiscuity" has never been a defining characteristic.
Moreover,
today's "playboy" need not be generally irresponsible at all. Many
successful business executives and dedicated athletes are "playboys."

JL

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