Down to earth people (income, live in, bills)

[mdiggs1]

You know, on this website I see the phrase 'down to earth' when people are talking about particular places. People say things like the people in [insert city] are down to earth.

But for the most part, all those cities with 'down to earth people' are cities filled with poor people. Do you have to be poor (i.e. working class) to be down to earth?

[canudigit]

I don't think you have to be poor to be down to earth. To me, that phrase means that people are approachable, friendly, willing to pitch in and help others if need be(more like in a physical way, not a financial way) without immediately expecting to be compensated, and not snobbish.

I grew up in a small town in NW Ohio and now live in a small town in SE Michigan. I would say that people in both places are very "down to earth".

[Cleverfield]

Being poor does help people stay humble though. Well-off people often tend to think that having more money makes them somehow better than other people.

[jtur88]

The opposite of "down to earth" is "pretentious". Guess what kind of people are pretentious and subtract out the rest, and see what you are left with.

[canudigit]

Originally Posted by Cleverfield

Being poor does help people stay humble though. Well-off people often tend to think that having more money makes them somehow better than other people.

True, but when I think of down to earth people, I think of people who aren't necessarily dirt poor, but they also don't worship money and are usually decidedly working class and not concerned about getting rich or accumulating possessions, just paying their bills and trying to be a nice person who helps others.

But that's just my perception.

[mdiggs1]

Originally Posted by canudigit

I don't think you have to be poor to be down to earth. To me, that phrase means that people are approachable, friendly, willing to pitch in and help others if need be(more like in a physical way, not a financial way) without immediately expecting to be compensated, and not snobbish.

I grew up in a small town in NW Ohio and now live in a small town in SE Michigan. I would say that people in both places are very "down to earth".

Are those places you mentioned considered mostly poor and/or working class?

[ipaper]

Any social class can be down to earth. A rich guy can act and carry himself like the average joe, he can live a modest life style or unassuming, hang out with regular folks instead of the rich, and don't attract attention to himself or thinks he is better than anyone else. To me that would be a very down to earth person. A very beautiful woman can act like its no big deal and wonder what is all the fuss about, can not be stuck up, and can enjoy the company of the average joe. This would be a very down to earth person also.

[creeksitter]

I think it's about culture as well as income. Look at Warren Buffet for example. We think of Omaha as a pretty down-to-earth city.