Earthboundness

Earthboundness refers to the state or quality of being confined to the earth, both literally and figuratively. It describes a lack of ability or desire to transcend the physical or practical limitations of terrestrial existence, often associated with a focus on material concerns, practicality, and a grounding in tangible realities. This can manifest as an absence of visionary thinking, a resistance to change, or an overwhelming preoccupation with everyday concerns, hindering the exploration of abstract concepts, innovative ideas, or spiritual realms. It's a state of being firmly tethered to the familiar and the known, often prioritizing immediate needs and concrete experiences over the pursuit of broader possibilities or deeper meaning. It is associated with a limited perspective and a tendency to undervalue or neglect experiences or ideas that reach beyond the commonplace or conventional.

Earthboundness meaning with examples

• His unwavering focus on profits and market trends demonstrated his complete earthboundness, ignoring artistic value. He viewed creative endeavors solely through a commercial lens, dismissing projects that didn't promise immediate financial returns. His limited perspective prevented him from appreciating the long-term impact of such a narrow viewpoint, remaining rooted to the short-term financial gains.
• Despite her scientific curiosity, her deep earthboundness kept her from space exploration. Her constant worry about practical challenges like funding and the physical demands of such a venture stopped her. This led her to prioritize research on terrestrial phenomena, which allowed her to stick with familiarity, even though she was highly capable of contributing to wider science.
• The novel portrays the protagonist’s earthboundness, a state of constant worry about trivial tasks. Her obsession with tidiness, scheduling, and maintaining order limited her ability to enjoy the wonders of the natural world. She struggled to embrace spontaneity and live with a less rigid structure, limiting her exposure to potential experiences outside her comfort zone.
• Their earthboundness was evident in their lifestyle. They focused almost exclusively on the material aspects of life. The obsession with possessions, constant work, and status blinded them to the deeper, emotional richness that was on offer, which kept them in the cycles of material fulfillment, devoid of spiritual elevation.