zeitgeist

1. N-SING The zeitgeist of a particular place during a particular period in history is the attitudes and ideas that are generally common there at that time, especially the attitudes and ideas shown in literature, philosophy, and politics. (尤指文学、哲学和政治中表现的)时代精神; 时代潮流

He has caught the zeitgeist of life in the 1960s very well indeed. 他确实非常准确地描绘出了20世纪60年代乡村生活的真实风貌。