Unlike the zeitgeist theory, the Great man theory is based on the idea that remarkable humans make history. Thus, each century is represented by heroes who are unique in their abilities and who are able to influence the whole world through their actions. However, the theory disregards the socio-economic and cultural factors that influence those men to do remarkable things. Instead, their traits are so unique that they cannot be explained by the world these individuals live in or any other possible impacts on personality development. This is the downside that the zeitgeist theory addresses. Based on this premise, history is driven by an invisible force that correlates with a specific epoch (Leahey, 2018). Thus, people are impacted by the general spirit of the era and not the other way around, which highlights the specific characteristics of different time periods in history and their differences based on the ideas that were critical at the moment. Based on the general premise of the zeitgeist theory mentioned prior, I subscribe to its aim and explanation of how the world changes.
Based on the zeitgeist theory, the last ten years within US history have been predominantly highlighted by an emphasis on environmental and social activism. Such causes are often represented in the media since the public is rather active when it comes to supporting or going against a social agenda. An example would be the MeToo movement, which has been revolutionary in terms of bringing awareness to sexual harassment, a topic that remained uncovered for decades. Moreover, the Black Lives Matter movement has become the reason for protests all over the country, which is how people have expressed concern for issues such as inequality and racial discrimination. On the other hand, the environmental agenda has been highlighted through the appearance of such companies as Tesla and the US government’s aim to invest in clean energy. Thus, it is certain that the US population is primarily concerned with these specific aims, and the trends show that the Zeitgeist theory is exemplified through people’s desire to support such causes.
Reference
Leahey, T. H. (2018). A history of psychology. From antiquity to modern (18th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.