Demian (Dover Thrift Editions: Classic Novels)

by Hermann Hesse

A person is afraid only when he isn’t at one with himself. They’re afraid because they have never accepted themselves. A community consisting exclusively of people afraid of the unknown in themselves! They all feel that the rules they live by are no longer valid, that they’re following outdated commandments; neither their religions nor their morality, nothing is suited to what we need. For a century and more, Europe has done nothing but study and build factories! They know exactly how many grams of powder it takes to kill someone, but they don’t know how to pray to God, they don’t even know how to be contented for an hour at a time. Just take a look at a students’ tavern like these! Or even a pleasure resort that rich people go to! Hopeless!—My dear Sinclair, no serenity can come from any of that.