"The characteristic of the hour is that the commonplace mind, knowing itself to be commonplace, has the assurance to proclaim the rights of the commonplace and to impose them wherever it will"

This quote by Jose Ortega Y Gasset speaks to the power of the "commonplace mind" in the contemporary age. He suggests that the "particular of the hour" is that those with a "prevalent" state of mind have the self-confidence to assert their beliefs and worths, and to enforce them on others. This is a reflection of the growing impact of the masses in the contemporary world, and the power of the collective to shape the direction of society. Ortega Y Gasset is recommending that the "prevalent mind" is no longer content to remain in the background, but is instead taking a more active function in the shaping of the world. He is likewise alerting of the potential risks of permitting the "prevalent" to dictate the direction of society, as it might cause a homogenization of idea and a lack of imagination and development.