philistine / petty bourgeois
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philistine
An often derogatory term for a conventional, narrow-minded, and overly conformist citizen who places great value on order and conventions but shows little intellectual breadth or courage.
Er führt das Leben eines Biedermanns, der sich nur für sein Haus und seinen Garten interessiert.
He leads the life of a philistine who is interested only in his house and garden.
The word is made up of the adjective 'bieder' (upright/respectable) and the noun 'Mann' (man). 'Bieder' means honest and solid, but it often has the negative connotation of being conventional, unimaginative, and narrow-minded.
Sein Lebensstil ist sehr bieder und vorhersehbar.
His lifestyle is very conventional and predictable.
Note that 'Biedermann' (philistine/petty bourgeois) is almost always meant derogatorily or critically. It is not a neutral description of an honest citizen, but criticizes a person as conventional and overly conformist.
Er gibt sich weltoffen, aber im Grunde ist er ein echter Biedermann.
He presents himself as cosmopolitan, but basically he is a real philistine.
The term was strongly shaped by the famous play 'Biedermann und die Brandstifter' (The Fire Raisers) by Max Frisch. In it, the Biedermann represents a naive citizen who refuses to recognize danger, even though it is right in front of him.
Wie im Stück von Max Frisch lässt der Biedermann die Gefahr direkt in sein Haus.
As in Max Frisch's play, the philistine lets the danger right into his house.
