conventional wisdom

the conventional wisdom

Common knowledge that is held to be true, but may not be. The conventional wisdom says to feed a cold and starve a fever, but that doesn't reflect current medical practice.
See also: conventional, wisdom
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

conventional wisdom

A widely held belief on which most people act. For example, According to conventional wisdom, an incumbent nearly always wins more votes than a new candidate . This term was invented by John Kenneth Galbraith, who used it in The Affluent Society (1958) to describe economic ideas that are familiar, predictable, and therefore accepted by the general public. Today it is used in any context where public opinion has considerable influence on the course of events.
See also: conventional, wisdom
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

conventional/received ˈwisdom

the view or belief that most people have: Conventional wisdom has it that riots only ever happen in big cities.The term conventional wisdom was first used by the economist John Kenneth Galbraith in his book The Affluent Society.
See also: conventional, received, wisdom
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

conventional wisdom, the

What the majority believe and act upon. The term was coined by the American economist John Kenneth Galbraith in The Affluent Society (1958), in which he so described economic views that are familiar, predictable, and therefore generally accepted. It was soon transferred to other areas in which public opinion plays an important role in influencing events. It has just about replaced the now virtually obsolete cliché, climate of opinion.
See also: conventional
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • conventional
  • conventional wisdom, the
  • conventional/received wisdom
  • the conventional wisdom
  • the received wisdom
  • starve a cold, feed a fever
  • starve
  • worldly wisdom
  • for all (one) cares
  • for all I care
References in periodicals archive
Conventional wisdom dictated that anything other than a return to the Championship would be a massive anomaly.
Warnock right to be up for another fight despite drop
Speaking about crushing "conventional wisdom," many media types have noted that though Williams is a man-among-boys running the ball, his lack of college-level passing ability might hold him back at the D-I level.
Battle brewing for Salukis' back-up QB
The conventional wisdom told us for many years that the Liberals were dead ducks, expiring as a party, to be replaced forever by the NDP, which would vie with the Conservatives for power.
Beware the conventional wisdom
Indeed, conventional wisdom can be anchored in truth, but these ideas often reflect an incomplete or incorrect understanding.
Myths and truths: misadventures in supply chain management
That's one piece of conventional wisdom that is totally true.
Why independent agents will still always matter
The conventional wisdom works for Pauken, to a point; Cruz, now the state's junior U.S.
Sometimes, It's Hard to Make a Good Political Bet
Perhaps lawmakers will see that the value of defined benefit plan relief trumps the conventional wisdom. Despite WRERA relief, and imminent administrative relief expected from the Treasury Department as of press time for this column, many employer plan sponsors continue to face unprecedented funding pressure in the face of falling corporate bond interest rates and tight credit markets.
Ready for a new conventional wisdom?
Comment: Conventional wisdom has it that accepting 'sexual orientation' includes approving of 'gay' behaviour--and that teaching Judaeo-Christian beliefs comprises 'hatred.' Has the time now come when the board will formally reject Catholic anthropology and become "inclusive" of sexual immorality?
School board pushing undefined 'gay' diversity?
The terrifying prospect of rejecting "conventional wisdom" is the path to life, to encountering and being encountered by God.
Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany: February 11, 2007
"Within conventional wisdom, Algoma tried everything in the book.
2 Turcotte-Algoma's 'real deal'
This is the second volume in Cuthbert's challenging assault on the conventional wisdom on urban design and the physical determinism that still shapes most designers' approaches to the subject.
City forum
This investigative episode is one of many crusades against conventional wisdom Rapaille proudly recounts in The Culture Code, his new iconoclastic marketing primer.
Analyze this: how culture shapes our inner shopper
and the conventional wisdom posited that straight men just don't care about shopping--at least not enough to sustain a magazine whose content was simply the presentation of products for purchase,
Was Cargo too gay?
The new conventional wisdom is that stock options are on the way out, with restricted stock and other forms of long-term incentives replacing options as the predominant form of executive compensation.
Why stock options still make sense: news reports herald their demise, but two consultants argue that stock options--used by 90 percent of the largest U.S. companies--remain the cornerstone of U.S. equity compensation, and for good reasons
Conventional wisdom says that a person can never plan enough or be too prepared.
When the Plan Becomes Part of the Problem. Newsletter