Zeitgeist

Look into an English dictionary and you’ll probably find the word „zeitgeist„(sometimes with a capital „Z“).

Yes, it’s a German word we use in English.

It translates to „the spirit of the times“ or „the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of an era„. And refers to the ideas, beliefs, and trends that are popular in a certain time period. 

Here is an example sentence:

„The popularity of social media platforms can be seen as a reflection of the zeitgeist of the digital age.“

It’s important to remember, however, that zeitgeist can also include negative things like racism or prejudice.

For example, during the Holocaust, the zeitgeist in Germany included the belief that Jewish people were inferior.

Studying zeitgeist can help us understand the culture and society of a specific time period. And can give us insight into what people were thinking and what was important to them.