Merkur
2010-11-02
Summary Merkur 11/2010
The November issue focuses on political and philosophical questions. Bernhard Schlink emphasizes the issue of societal responsibility. Heinz Theisen warns the EU about its dreams to save the world. Paul Kennedy demythologizes the dirty word "appeasement": sometimes political mollification is entirely appropriate...
The magazine opens with praise for scarcity: Rainer Hank shows that surplus, as it is described in the fairytales of lands of milk and honey, in no way brings happiness but rather a threat to quality of life and freedom.
In addition we present the philosophy column by Otfried Höffe and the (first) sociology column by Jürgen Kaube on the subject of integration. Michael Rutschky writes a portrait of the great American art historian Michael Fried; Christian Schröder takes up Germany-loving Brits; and to close his little series on language and consciousness, Wolfgang Marx juggles with intelligent hens and reflecting dogs. David Klett remembers Philippe Ariès's discovery of childhood, and Sabine Beppler-Spahl does not want schools to become socio-political correctional facilities. And for a tragically funny conclusion, Jens Soentgens offers a mini-drama about the ecologically-correct drinking of a glass of mineral water, and Thomas Krüger tenders sonnets in which Margot Käßmann finally enters world literature.