ivory-tower
Sheltered scholarly retreat
Ivory-tower describes a sheltered, academic remoteness from practical concerns and everyday realities.
The term is almost always critical, suggesting that intellectuals, professors, or theorists don't understand how the real world works: ivory-tower academics, ivory-tower thinking.
That proposal sounds good in the ivory tower, but it'll never work here.
Higher education community
- scholarLearned, studious person
- professorSenior university teacher
- intellectualConcerning thought and reason
- universityHigher education institution
dissertation · tenure · publish · theorist · pedantic · erudite · doctoral · faculty
Complete separation from others
- seclusionVoluntary withdrawal from society
- removedTaken from position
- aloofEmotionally withdrawn, uninviting
- disconnectedSeparated from a source
insular · sheltered · cloistered · sequestered · withdrawn · rarefied · bubble · cocoon
Based on hypothesis, untested
- abstractCondensed version of text
- idealisticPursuing unrealistic standards
- unrealisticLacking basis in reality
- impracticalNot suited for use
utopian · speculative · armchair · hypothetical · blue-sky · dreamer · visionary · quixotic
Preference for privileged rule
- snobberyPretentious social superiority
- condescensionDemeaning air of superiority
- irrelevantNot pertinent
- pontificateSpeak in dogmatic manner
highbrow · pretentious · navel-gazing · smug · self-important · dismissive · arrogant · patronizing
academia
Higher education community
- scholarLearned, studious person
- professorSenior university teacher
- intellectualConcerning thought and reason
university · dissertation · tenure · publish · theorist · pedantic · erudite · doctoral · faculty · campus
isolation
Complete separation from others
- seclusionVoluntary withdrawal from society
- removedTaken from position
- aloofEmotionally withdrawn, uninviting
disconnected · insular · sheltered · cloistered · sequestered · withdrawn · rarefied · bubble · cocoon · elitist
theoretical
Based on hypothesis, untested
- abstractCondensed version of text
- idealisticPursuing unrealistic standards
- unrealisticLacking basis in reality
impractical · utopian · speculative · armchair · hypothetical · blue-sky · dreamer · visionary · quixotic · fanciful
elitism
Preference for privileged rule
- snobberyPretentious social superiority
- condescensionDemeaning air of superiority
- irrelevantNot pertinent
pontificate · highbrow · pretentious · navel-gazing · smug · self-important · dismissive · arrogant · patronizing · indifferent
ivory-towerhands-on
Involving direct physical engagement
practical · pragmatic · applied · real-world · down-to-earth
ivory-towergrassroots
Common people as political base
grounded · streetwise · populist · blue-collar · salt-of-the-earth
ivory-towerstreet-smart
Urban survival instincts
worldly · real-life · grounded · battle-hardened · seasoned
tower, towering, ivory, towers, towered, bell tower, watchtower, ivories, ivory tower