It's a snob world after all

August 12, 2005 11:09 AM

ASmallWorld is a very exclusive world, where participants seek advice on where to charter a private jet for a single person and use 'summer' as a verb. This invite-only website for the well-connected, famous, or just stinking rich has an alternate however. When an aSmallWorld member is no longer welcome, they are unceremoniously dumped to a less restricted set of forums called aBigWorld. I don't expect to get an invite anytime soon, so I can't tell you of their Illuminati-like plans to keep their lofty power. (via1, via2)
posted by Kickstart70 (45 comments total)

well la-di da (also not getting an invitation)
posted by Emperor Yamamoto's Eggs at 11:11 AM on August 12, 2005

fuck 'em!

was that harsh? I didn't mean to be harsh....
posted by HuronBob at 11:35 AM on August 12, 2005

I'm a member. It's a lot like MySpace except we own Rupert Murdock.

That reminds me...I have a birthday coming up soon and I was planning on renting Asia for the evening for my private party. Must announce it on the events bulletin...

None of you are invited.
posted by sourwookie at 11:35 AM on August 12, 2005

Yeah, I got an invitation but I don't like pretentious groups so I took a photo of me wiping my butt with it. I don't think I'll be invited to the mixer.

By the way, this seems a little at odds with their naming scheme, As of June 2005, 70,000 members (plus 2,500 in aBigWorld). There is a planned overall site cap of a few hundred thousand members.
posted by fenriq at 11:36 AM on August 12, 2005

As I said before: One day, the Morlocks will decide to eat the Eloi.

Long pig, well fed, smells slightly of plastic.
posted by Kickstart70 at 11:39 AM on August 12, 2005

In the right hands, this information should prove to be quite useful. You have done much this day to advance the cause of revolution, comrade Kickstart70.
posted by gigawhat? at 11:41 AM on August 12, 2005

We were just discussing this the other week on aReallySmallworld. Thomas (Pynchon to those not "in the know") made a funny joke and we all lol'ed.
posted by drezdn at 11:43 AM on August 12, 2005 [1 favorite]

Maybe those elite fuckers will start offering $5.00 memberships.
posted by bondcliff at 11:44 AM on August 12, 2005

You're already a member of BiggestDamnWorldEver. Why haven't you updated your contact info lately?
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:46 AM on August 12, 2005

What, you can rent Asia for parties now? my gosh, has her film career sunk so low already?
posted by funambulist at 11:47 AM on August 12, 2005

You're already a member of BiggestDamnWorldEver.

Sounds like the Universal Life Church, where "everyone is already a member of the church and is just not aware of it as yet".
posted by Kickstart70 at 11:48 AM on August 12, 2005

So it has three times as many members as Metafilter?
posted by carter at 12:00 PM on August 12, 2005

What, you can rent Asia for parties now? my gosh, has her film career sunk so low already?

No, he means the other Asia.
posted by jonson at 12:01 PM on August 12, 2005

There can be only one Asia.
posted by gigawhat? at 12:08 PM on August 12, 2005

Not surprisingly, bugmenot doesn't have any working logins for this. (Yes, I tried.)
posted by brain_drain at 12:10 PM on August 12, 2005

This world is not big enough for two Asias.
posted by funambulist at 12:14 PM on August 12, 2005

Doesn't the elite have personal assistants for this type of stuff?
Membership is worldwide and diverse. 40% of the members have a master’s degree or Ph.D., and 90% are between the ages of 22 and 45. (78% between 25 and 35.) ...There are no isolated nodes. The people who are not connected –they stop there. No fake profiles are allowed.

Whoopee! - It's the web and #'s mean nothing.
Good luck since age is one personal identity that is lied about on many applications.
Top Officials Hold Fake Degrees
posted by thomcatspike at 12:15 PM on August 12, 2005

The Internet is the most inclusive gathering of human souls and minds yet, so let's make a web site with a high, artificial wall between them and us!

But aSmallWorld, as a name, sucks. Can anyone come up with a better one? I'll get us started:
rulingClass, greyPoupon, washedMasses, bestFolk, lifePass, and my personal favorite: doneParis.
posted by JHarris at 12:20 PM on August 12, 2005

*cough*.

The last, what, 40 people to start 'social networking' sites all thought that they, too, were some sort of amazing technological pioneer to be revered by teh masses.

I, too, can remember when Friendster was exclusive. OOh. Aaah.
posted by bhance at 12:21 PM on August 12, 2005

Hmm, the world is also not big enough for Asia the band and their amazing record titles: Aria, Arena, Aura, Aqua, America... who stole half their scrabble set?
posted by funambulist at 12:21 PM on August 12, 2005

If at least 15% of members aren't Scientologists, then it's not exclusive enough.
posted by funambulist at 12:26 PM on August 12, 2005

The Swedish founder, Erik Wachtmeister

What gives, Sweden?
posted by maggiemaggie at 12:27 PM on August 12, 2005

aSW’s goal is to create an environment in which the members find one another interesting and worth talking with. There are poor artists, cool students, but also successful entrepreneurs

It seems being “rich” is not a requirement here. Just your networking of High Profile Friends, though friends used here are more like a "PAL {personal ass licker}."
posted by thomcatspike at 12:29 PM on August 12, 2005

The site is lame. A mefi post about it is just as lame.

What's next, an FPP about AMEX black cards?
posted by mosch at 12:36 PM on August 12, 2005

mosch, you've posted about turning off your TV, online bibles, and hockey. Who is the pot and who is the kettle?
posted by Kickstart70 at 12:52 PM on August 12, 2005

Kickstart70: which of those is comparable to a post which just helps market a snobby commercial website?
posted by mosch at 1:01 PM on August 12, 2005

F#@$!!!! Talk about conspiracy theory because both these small worlds are as equally annoying?!!!

Come on people sing along ...yes you too with the Dolce undies!!
posted by Mr Bluesky at 1:04 PM on August 12, 2005

mosch: None of them, which is about as equivalent as your comparison to AMEX black cards.

Are we not allowed to talk about commercial sites on MeFi? Are we not allowed to talk about social structures? Are we not allowed to talk about anything unrelated to your pet preferences?

So, say what you want, but you're being ass for the sake of being an ass. Somehow that seems.....snobby.
posted by Kickstart70 at 1:11 PM on August 12, 2005

Hey Kickstart, Mosch..come on..its a small world after all!

Yeah you too Von Dutch pocket protector..sing it out!
posted by Mr Bluesky at 1:20 PM on August 12, 2005

You realize that both of your via's are Xeni Jardin pieces? Didn't we discuss this already in the *wonk wonk* self hype weblogs piece? What's the point of talking about people who want to be talked about because they think they're important?
posted by cavalier at 1:23 PM on August 12, 2005

What's the point of talking about people who want to be talked about because they think they're important?

Point?! Point!! I'll you the point mate its because...

Ok, I'm done..sorry..no really I'm done.
posted by Mr Bluesky at 1:28 PM on August 12, 2005

rofl @ bluesky's midi link.
posted by cavalier at 1:30 PM on August 12, 2005

I'm not afraid to admit I'd like a membership. I'd like to be in their club. It wouldn't upset me if a series of events puts me in a place where I'm invited.
posted by VulcanMike at 1:30 PM on August 12, 2005

Kickstart70: I don't take a lot of issue with Pepsi Blue (or Spirit Foam), but your post isn't authored to discuss commercial sites, or social structures. It's framed to generate a bunch of "me too" hate for the site (and the wealthy), thus my comparison to a hypothetical AMEX black card FPP.

I don't intend to offend you, I just think it's a lousy post.
posted by mosch at 1:46 PM on August 12, 2005

VulcanMike: I'd rather be invited and then turn it down with a big public peacock display that make me look stupid but them more stupid.

;-)
posted by Kickstart70 at 1:47 PM on August 12, 2005

hate for the site (and the wealthy),
No wealth required for one, just a wealthy network of connections.

I just think it's a lousy post.
Why, because the site is closed to public and your viewing. Though being closed makes a large dilemma talking about it since it can’t be seen. Maybe it is like many things posted on the net, not real.
posted by thomcatspike at 1:59 PM on August 12, 2005

Someone should get an invitation, join, and then just hand out referral codes to every random person he or she passes on the street. That ought to take down their high and mighty social structure.
posted by Faint of Butt at 2:02 PM on August 12, 2005

Oh what fun could be had, if only that website had a login hole!
posted by ericb at 2:06 PM on August 12, 2005

The post isn't lame at all, just this discussion. I read the little blurb on it in Wired as well. Does anyone have any additional information about this site? Anyone know anyone that uses it or heard conversations about it? Just curious because I've run into a little bit of nobility and landed gentry types (just a little) and I always thought they either did or would have something like this.

Did anyone see the parade of nobles and feudal leftovers that attended Prince Felipe's wedding last year? This site looks like an easy way for the kids of all those people to get together.
posted by redteam at 3:24 PM on August 12, 2005

What are Noble People really like, anyway?
posted by By The Grace of God at 6:03 PM on August 12, 2005

If only I knew about this website when I wrote my NaNo novel last year - it would have been perfect.

My novel involved an elite invite-only club whose members consist of those featured in various "# Most [Something] People" lists. This website provides the perfect structure, and a great motive for the story too.

An invite would be interesting, if only to see how it all works.
posted by divabat at 6:30 PM on August 12, 2005

whatever - they are made of the same dying meat that i am. hope their little website helps them ignore that fact.
posted by Tryptophan-5ht at 8:38 PM on August 12, 2005

Reminds me of The Boiler.
posted by Plinko at 9:23 PM on August 12, 2005

Wow, it's like the Huffington Post crossed with Paris Hilton's Sidekick phonebook.

In other news, who gives a shit?
posted by Vidiot at 11:54 PM on August 12, 2005

It's simply Absolutely Fabulous. A little eco-system of would-be famous people and their hangers-on, leeching off each other, their sponsors, and the public-at-large.

Ab Fab is funny. This, I'm sure, is boring.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:52 AM on August 13, 2005