It kind of does, actually. From Wikipedia:

'A purist is one who desires that an item remain true to its essence and free from adulterating or diluting influences.'

I think you're right, though. I can't influence what other people like and dislike, however, I do believe that spending the money on an expensive and quality bottle of single malt whisky and then mixing it with coke or whatever so that you can't taste the more subtle and complex flavours is both a waste of money and good whisky.

If that is how you like drinking your whisky, buy less expensive malts or blends that aren't going to lose so much with the addition of your mixer. If nothing else, you're saving your wallet!

As someone else said, you'll still be able to taste the difference between various whiskies with a mixer. You'll probably taste the smoke and medicinal flavours of an Ardbeg Corryvreckan, for example, underneath your coke but you'll never notice the specific oily sea salt, citrus, fruit and peat—which are the entire reason that you spend $96 on a bottle of it in the first place—and to me, that's such a shame!