The idea of “touching the grass” serves as a metaphor for reconnecting with lower-class experiences. When someone far removed from a lower class engages in its activities, it is often seen as grounding or authentic. However, when the gap between classes is smaller, the same behavior is dismissed as tacky or cringe. This distinction highlights how proximity to class struggle influences cultural perceptions and shapes our relationship with privilege.
Music, Class, and Perspective
An example of this can be seen in how attitudes toward music change across generations and classes. A middle-class mother might reject lower-class music like dangdut in favor of jazz, seeing it as a marker of upward mobility. For her, taste in music reflects a desire to rise above her perceived station. Yet, her child, now upper-middle class, can attend an expensive festival celebrating dangdut and appreciate it purely as music, detached from its class origins. This shift illustrates how distance from class struggle enables neutrality, allowing what once symbolized stigma to be reframed as art.
Sociological Frameworks: Bourdieu and Omnivorousness
This phenomenon reflects a historical shift in how class and taste interact. While Bourdieu's theories of cultural capital and habitus explained how class rigidly determined cultural preferences in the mid-20th century, contemporary society has evolved toward what scholars call omnivorousness. This shift emerged in the late 20th century as social mobility and globalization increased. While Bourdieu observed that elite taste was defined by rejection of popular culture, modern elites often demonstrate their sophistication through cultural diversity—consuming both "high" and "low" art. This transition from exclusivity to inclusivity doesn't necessarily contradict Bourdieu's framework; rather, it shows how the rules of distinction have adapted. The privileged now display their status through aesthetic distancing—the ability to appreciate diverse cultural forms abstractly, free from their original social contexts.
Privilege and Class Distance
This dynamic highlights how privilege influences perspective. The ability to see music as “just music” or dismiss fashion as unimportant stems from being far enough removed from class anxieties. For instance, old money’s indifference to fashion as a statement isn’t carelessness—it’s a flex. They don’t need to signal status because their position is already secure. Likewise, the privilege of appreciating lower-class culture neutrally comes from having transcended the struggles embedded in it.
Touching the Grass and Personal Growth
This raises the question: is “touching the grass” necessary for personal growth? Historical figures like Mehmed II, Winston Churchill, and Bill Gates suggest that it isn’t. They operated from positions of immense privilege but still contributed significantly to society. Their growth came not from breaking out of their circumstances but from leveraging them. What they shared was perspective: the ability to see beyond their immediate bubbles and engage with higher-level ideas.
Mehmed II drew from both Roman and Islamic traditions to forge his vision and unite diverse cultures under the Ottoman Empire. Churchill blended statesmanship with an understanding of history’s sweep, positioning himself as both a leader and a chronicler of his era. Gates built an empire by viewing technology as an interconnected ecosystem, transforming industries and influencing global innovation. Their personal growth wasn’t tied to “touching the grass” but to the clarity of their broader perspectives.
Maslow’s Mountain and the Bigger Picture
Ultimately, the journey is about climbing Maslow’s mountain—toward self-actualization and, for some, transcendence. Touching the grass can be a way to reconnect with the base layers of the pyramid (physiological, safety, belonging) and recalibrate your perspective. However, it’s not the only path. Those who can achieve this perspective through education, reflection, or mentorship may find that touching the grass is more symbolic than necessary.
Whether you’re reconnecting with the ground or surveying the peak, the goal remains the same: to broaden your understanding, overcome biases, and realize your potential in ways that uplift others. The climb itself, with all its challenges and perspectives, is what shapes us into individuals capable of making meaningful contributions.