Last week, we extensively discussed the novel during the discussions. Main topic was Siddhartha's journey to enlightenment. He embarked on his journey with a goal. He took many paths trying to find the answer to his question. In the real world, many opportunities open up, but he is unsatisfied with everything he tries. He continuously seeks for his answer, but it appears as if his efforts are hopeless. Eventually, he loses sight of his goals and fall prey to the worldliness. He is mesmerized by art of love and obsessed with money. In the end, he gives up everything and becomes a ferryman; ironically, it is when he gives up that Siddhartha finds the answer to all his questions and becomes enlightened: "Siddhartha stopped fighting his fate this very hour, and he stopped suffering. Blooming on his face was mirth of a knowledge no longer opposed by any will, knowing perfection, and in agreement with the flow of events and the current of life" (Hesse 127).
Siddhartha could hear the river sing a song in thousand voices
The story of Siddhartha surprisingly parallels our lives as college students. You come to universities to find the answer to the quite possibly the most important question: "What is your destiny?" To find the answer to that question, students take classes, join organizations, and explore the world. Just like Siddhartha, you join an organization and participate, and many of us quit within four years because you lose interest in them. Essentially, Siddhartha, university students, and I try different things essentially for the same reason. In order to figure out what you can or will be in the future, you must first fulfill the university's goal, "to know thyself" (Course Goal). Trying different things, joining different organizations, and taking different classes are all part of figuring out who you really are.
You have to be careful, though, not to lose sight of your goal. Sometimes, extra curricular activities can take over your life and distract you from what's really important. As a student, you are here to study and learn, but the ecstasy of going out and partying or even just hanging out with friends can lead you to your downfall. Yes, university life can be exciting, but you need to know when to stop in order to accomplish your goal as a student.
Alcohol seems to be the leading cause of the failure as a student
Lastly, because you are primarily here to learn and set up for the future, you stress out to make good marks. Siddhartha too was frustrated with his inability to find the ultimate answer, but once he gives up and relaxes, he reaches his goal without making significant efforts. Likewise, college students do not need to stress out unnecessarily about the future because everything will be answered in due time.
On a side note, the novel asserts that the unity of all things results in an enlightenment: "...when [Siddhartha] heard them all and perceived the entirety and the unity of it, then the great song of a thousand voices consisted of a single word, and that was Om, the perfection" (Hesse 126-7). This idea of unity ties in with the course goal, " ...living in fragments no longer, learning to think, to connect, to hammer thoughts into unity" (Course Goal).
Hammering thoughts into unity is the main goal of this course
Siddhartha also relates to our P4 instructions for option two. The question imposed in option two of P4 is, "How can I become the kind of person who can lead others for the benefit of society?" (P4 Instructions). Siddhartha is an example of a passive leader; he advises others when they seek him, but he does not try to spread the wisdom he found. I, however, want to be an active leader who seeks different ways to benefit the society.
