Zeitgeist. The Zeitgeist (spirit of the age or spirit of the time) is the intellectual fashion or dominant school of thought that typifies and influences the culture of a particular period in time.
For example, the Zeitgeist of modernism typified and influenced architecture, art, and fashion during much of the 20th century.[1] The German word Zeitgeist is often attributed to the philosopher Georg Hegel, but he never actually used the word. In Time (2011. Ten Documentaries Everyone Should See (Slideshow + Videos) (Page 4) Ten Documentaries Everyone Should See (Slideshow + Videos) (Page 2)