man in the street, the
Definition: The ordinary person, such as anyone might meet walking down the street.
It is the views of such persons that pollsters seek in order to determine that elusive quantity, public opinion. This term dates from the early nineteenth century, when the opinions and thoughts of ordinary folk began, through elections, to influence the course of public events.
📚 Historical Context:
- Charles Fulke Greville’s Memoirs (1831)
- Sarcastic use: “Knowing as ‘the man in the street’ (as we call him at Newmarket) always does, the greatest secrets of kings…"
🧐 Witty Observation by Ralph Waldo Emerson (Worship, 1860):
- “The man in the street does not know a star in the sky.”
🎤 Modern Usage: The modern news media—both print and electronic—continue to use the general public to flesh out their reports, frequently seeking the opinion of both male and female bystanders at events of importance.
😂 Humor-Filled Quote:
- “Who needs experts when we have the man in the street telling us exactly what he heard his barber say yesterday?”
Related and Similar Terms:
- Average Joe/Jane: Referencing the typical, everyday person.
- Everyman: Just your regular guy or gal on the street.
- Common folk: Plain ol’ peasants, basically.
- Joe Public: Representation of the collective views of the public.
Synonyms:
- Ordinary Person
- Common Man
- General Public
Antonyms:
- Elite
- VIPs (Very Important Persons)
- Luminaries
📕 Recommended Literature/Books:
- The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick – Features the lives of seemingly ordinary people in an extraordinary alternate history.
- Common Sense by Thomas Paine – Though an activist’s pamphlet, it aimed to appeal to the common person’s logic.
🎬 Movies:
- It’s a Wonderful Life – Centering on George Bailey, the epitome of the everyman.
- Forest Gump – Everyman’s journey through history, deemed extraordinary by sheer novelty of his happenstances.
🎼 Songs:
- “Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone – Celebrating diversity among ordinary folks.
- “Common People” by Pulp – An anthem about ordinary lives and the perceived glamour of blending in.
📝 Inspirational Thought-Provoking Farewell: Remember, it’s the man in the street who carries the conscience of the nation. Each ordinary voice raised can sing in chorus, and move mountains.
💡 Author: I. M. Quotidian, 2023-10-07
