The meaning of the word philistine
Someone who is called a philistine today has no understanding of art. In antiquity, however, where the word was coined, it was the general term for wage workers. The Greek “bánausos” was a craftsman, born unfree, and he had to earn his living through physical labor.
At that time, all activities that did not rely on mental abilities were frowned upon. By giving wage workers their own name, they were kept away from politics and the fine arts. Later, the meaning “vulgar” was added to the current term in addition to “craftsman”. However, the lack of understanding of art is the only meaning that has survived to this day.
