Here's a trick question for you: What is the one thing, above all else, that makes Kim Kardashian West so famous?Is it her family, a contemporary, more bronzed version of the Brady Brunch? Perhaps it's her body, which she displays proudly and without hesitation? Or maybe her scandals The answer is all of the above. But while all of the aforementioned elements have contributed to her remarkable (and in the many ways, surprising) rise to international fame, there's another component that could explain the public's fascination with a girl like Kim. The real reason that Kim Kardashian has risen to superstardom is because she's actually just the latest reinvention of an archetype our culture has long been obsessed with: the wealthy socialite.Over the last decade, the 36-year-old has gone from reality show punchline to glitzy debutante to fixture of an elite social scene. To some people’s dismay (if that’s you then, it's time to just get over it ), Kim is synonymous with wealth, status, privilege, and influence. With each passing year — it's already been nine since we first were welcomed into that Calabasas home on October 14, 2007 — she has only become more famous. In 2016, the Kardashian clan is more recognizable, more prominent, and more talked-about than any of America's OG monied families, including the Vanderbilts, the Gettys, and even the Hiltons.But to fully understand how the socialite of yesteryear evolved to its current Kardashian incarnation, you have to understand where the tradition — and the word — comes from.