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Rereading “Siddhartha” Showed Me the Power of Changing My Mind
Why Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha Still Resonates
A book written more than a century ago, that speaks about a seeker of enlightenment in the times of the Buddha, should surely sound stuffy and outdated.
To my greatest surprise, it didn’t. In fact, it spoke to me a lot more now than it did when I first attempted to read it while still in university. Full disclosure: I didn’t finish it then. I was bored out of my wits trying to get through the first 20 or so pages.
So why did I attempt to read it again now? I wasn’t specifically looking for anything. It was just one of those random brainwaves that led me to unearth the book again from the hidden depths of my bookshelf. I finished the 100-odd pages in two days. And this time, it spoke to me.
Sometimes, you just need a break from the algorithm-driven selection of reading material you peruse on a daily basis. Something that doesn’t mirror your biases or strengthen your proven leanings. Or worse still, make you feel like you’re doing everything wrong because you’re not following the latest catchphrases.
Siddhartha is so old-world it can’t possibly have anything to do with anything you currently follow or believe in. It’s written in a detached, clinical manner. There…
