Definition

1. Noun:
   • A materialistic attitude or outlook that prioritizes wealth and conventional, often shallow, values over intellectual, artistic, or spiritual pursuits. It describes a mindset that undervalues culture, aesthetics, and higher ideals in favor of practical and financial concerns.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The relentless commercial development of the historic district was criticized as pure philistinism.
  • His philistinism was evident in his dismissal of the art exhibition as "a waste of time and money."
  • The novel satirizes the philistinism of the newly wealthy middle class.

Advanced Usage

• "Cultural philistinism": A specific emphasis on the disregard for artistic and intellectual culture.
  • The policy of defunding public libraries was an act of cultural philistinism.

Variants and Related Words

• Philistine (noun): A person who is guided by materialism and is indifferent or hostile to cultural and artistic values.
  • He was labeled a philistine for preferring pop music to classical symphonies.
• Philistine (adjective): Having or showing the characteristics of a philistine; materialistic and uncultured.
  • Their philistine attitudes towards education were shocking.

Synonyms

• Materialism: Preoccupation with material rather than spiritual or intellectual pursuits.
• Anti-intellectualism: Hostility towards or mistrust of intellectuals and intellectual pursuits.
• Provincialism: Narrow-mindedness or lack of sophistication, often associated with a limited, local perspective.

Idioms and Related Phrases

• "A philistine attitude": A common phrase used to describe a dismissive or contemptuous stance towards culture and the arts.
  • His refusal to visit the museum revealed a philistine attitude.

Noun

1. a desire for wealth and material possessions with little interest in ethical or spiritual matters