By the end of Chapter 2, Siddhartha doubts that one can learn anything at all. He thinks there is Atman, knowledge, within everyone, but that more knowledge cannot be learned.
I definitely think I know what I know because of knowledge I have learned, not that has always been within me. There are certain conditions in my life that make my "knowledge" different from the next person's. For instance, I "know" that gay marriage should absolutely be allowed the same as any other marriage, yet this knowledge of mine isn't a universal truth. I know something that I deem true even though it is not true for everyone. Therefore, I know what I know based on the family, society, religion, and culture that I have grown up in.
This makes me think of what I've read of the many failed attempts by outsiders to address the issues facing people in other countries or communities. We go in with our knowledge and try to fix problems without considering how limited our knowledge may be in that situation. With knowledge must come the perspective to understand different knowledge. I think the person who questions what he knows for his whole life is the wisest. Education is always changing because knowledge is not constant. My parents and I may have both taken a physics class, but I'm sure I learned things that weren't part of the general knowledge when they took the class. We know what we know because of where we come from, but to grow as global citizens we need to challenge what we know and gain new knowledge.
I agree with you. No one is raised in the same environment and therefore, we all grow up to have different opinions on controversial issues. The problem with this is that often times people think that their way is the right way, when in reality there is not always one right answer for everything. Not everyone should have to have the same view on a topic which is why I find Siddharatha's choice noble. He decides to go off on his own path of salvation without attacking other people or groups for their beliefs.
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