a state of mind that is discussed as if it were a place; "he lived in the ivory tower of speculation"; "they viewed universities as ivory towers"

The metaphorical dwelling place of those who are detached from the realities of every day life e.g. some academics.

"Ivory Tower" is a popular song written by Jack Fulton and Lois Steele.

The term Ivory Tower designates a world or atmosphere where intellectuals engage in pursuits that are disconnected from the practical concerns of everyday life. As such, it has a slightly pejorative connotation, denoting a willful disconnect from the everyday world; esoteric, over-specialized, or even useless research; and academic elitism, if not condescension by those inhabiting the proverbial ivory tower. In American English usage it ordinarily denotes the academic world of colleges and universities, particularly scholars of the humanities.

Ivory Tower is America’s longest running college soap opera. It was first conceived of in 1993 as the brainchild of Harvard-Radcliffe Television (HRTV), itself new on the Harvard scene.