Die Welt, »ein grosses Hospital«

Manfred Osten reinterprets Goethe in light of the Corona pandemic and uncovers a wealth of surprising and thought-provoking insights. As early as 1787, Goethe described in a letter to Charlotte von Stein the future model of a global society, where the world would become a large hospital and each person a more humane caregiver for one another. This large hospital can be interpreted as a significant metaphor for the 21st century, symbolizing a global immune deficiency. This global immune deficiency takes the form of a pandemic of extremist boundaries and excesses that must be escaped. Goethe urges us to understand nature as a universe of infinite interactions. Manfred Osten successfully combines Goethe's reflections on the state of the world—both then and now—and brings them into new contexts, allowing for a fresh perspective on Goethe and the world.