He is up with the MORE and down with the less

Insights

Opportunism and Fickle Loyalty

The proverb critiques the 'fair-weather friend' or opportunist who aligns with the powerful, successful, or popular ('the more') and abandons or looks down upon those who are weaker or less fortunate ('the less').

Materialism and Superficiality

It points to a materialistic or superficial worldview, where value is judged by quantity (wealth, status, numbers) rather than intrinsic quality, character, or principle.

Social Climbing

The phrase illustrates the behavior of a social climber who strategically associates with those of higher status to improve their own standing, while actively disdaining those they perceive as being of a lower rank.

Social and Moral Critique

This proverb captures a timeless critique of social opportunism, relevant in any hierarchical society. The 1662 citation by Trapp, using it to describe the biblical character Laban, shows its use as a moral shorthand for fickleness and self-interest, revealing how such behaviors have long been observed and condemned.

Psychology of Insecurity

Psychologically, the proverb describes an individual whose self-esteem is externally referenced. Their emotional state ('up' or 'down') is dependent on the perceived status or success of others, indicating a lack of a stable internal value system and a deep-seated insecurity.

Literary Archetype

The character described is a classic literary archetype—the sycophant or fair-weather friend who flatters the powerful and scorns the weak. This proverb functions as a concise folk label for this universally recognized, and often satirized, personality type.

Rhetorical Devices

Antithesis and Parallelism

The proverb is built on the stark contrast between 'up'/'down' and 'more'/'less', creating a balanced, rhythmic, and memorable structure that effectively highlights the subject's polarized and simplistic worldview.

Symbolism

The words 'more' and 'less' function symbolically, representing broader concepts like wealth, power, and social status versus poverty, weakness, and obscurity.

Idiomatic Language

The use of idiomatic phrases 'up with' (to support or be enthusiastic about) and 'down with' (to reject or dislike) makes the meaning sharp, accessible, and culturally resonant.