Down To Earth

[EcclesCake]

A poster was asking about people who are 'down to earth' on a recent thread. I've been mulling it over and have been wondering what down to earth means to me and I'm not sure I can quantify or qualify what it is.

How would you describe DTE?

[Mamyalynne]

High on manners but low on pretensions.

[Buenchico]

From the OED: "interested in everyday affairs; not affectedly superior; realistic; ordinary".

[flump1]

Honest and frank maybe ?

[EcclesCake]

I agree about the pretentiousness but question the OED's 'ordinary' as that is incredibly subjective.

[kylesmum]

Someone who isn't pretentious.

[stuey]

Sometimes when I'm wandering across the field on my way home from the bar I'm down to earth.

[sunny-dave]

I tends (wrongly) to be interpreted as "Calling a Spade a .... *** Shovel" ...

... I think it should imply good manners without pretension.

[EcclesCake]

I've walked that field too Stuey!

[joeluke]

Down to earth......not thinking/acting/pretending to be something one is clearly not

[humbersloop]

someone grounded in the practicality of what' s actually on and what's possible to do about it

[kylesmum]

Being confident enough to call yourself 'ordinary' is the difference.I'm ordinary.

There's a lot of pretentious people on AB, whether they aspire to be less ordinary with their flowery language or are indeed less confident is open to debate.I don't particularly care...it amuses me how often some can dress a serving of 'peas' , 'potatoes' or 'vino' up ;)

[EcclesCake]

That is a good description JoeLuke because the question was in relation to multi-millionaires.

So if someone has a lot of dosh is it OK for them to drive the car of their choice, live in a nice house, take regular holidays etc. Or should they be obliged to conform to the expectations of others for fear of being considered pretentious?

[kylesmum]

It's down to attitude Ecclescake, not money.

[EcclesCake]

Kylesmum, just what is 'ordinary' though?

My ordinary may be very different to someone who buys a new car every year and washes their jeans after wearing them once???

[kylesmum]

True Ecclescake.

I don't think i'm any better than any one person, so i'm ordinary.

The fact I can 'maybe' afford more material possessions than any one else doesn't alter my thinking.I'm still just the same as you, him her...ordinary.

Down to earth, grounded. Any one person who tries to elevate themself above any other person is deluded.To be pitied.

[joeluke]

Eccles.....no mention of millionaires in your OP

Rich people will obviously have the trappings of their wealth, it's when they think that makes them better than us and they look down their noses at us ordinary non-rich folk that they become pretentious

[ducksie]

A down to earth person may not know they are, they can live a humble life and not know how much their acts and ways of going through life affect others for the better. I don't think financial rewards comes into the question, such a person could IMO sit with royalty and fit in or sleep with the homeless without making comparison of either

[tamborine]

Those that respect others

[EcclesCake]

I deliberately avoided bringing the wealth factor into the OP because I do not believe it relevant either.

I wanted to seek opinions of what being DTE meant to others and I agree that not being pretentious is the tilt point.

[mrs.chappie]

Having one's feet firmly on the ground.