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.
rebel
'Rebell' and 'Biedermann' form a contrast when it comes to behavior toward rules and conventions. A 'Rebell' deliberately opposes authorities or social expectations. A 'Biedermann', by contrast, seems overly conformist, petty bourgeois, and very concerned with order; the word is often derogatory. The rebel breaks rules or questions them, while the Biedermann sticks closely to what is considered normal and proper.
Bei der Diskussion wirkte er wie ein Biedermann, der vor jeder neuen Idee Angst hat.
In the discussion, he came across like a philistine who is afraid of every new idea.
Schon als Jugendlicher galt mein Bruder als Rebell, weil er jede Schulregel offen kritisierte.
Even as a teenager, my brother was considered a rebel because he openly criticized every school rule.