Life-Changing Lessons: How Great Philosophers Transformed My Perspective

How Reading the Giants Changed Me

 

Reading philosophy changed me in ways I could have never predicted. Each author gave me a new lens to see the world—sometimes dark, sometimes hopeful—but always profound. These works aren’t just intellectual exercises; they are encounters with truth, existence, and myself.

Camus and Kafka: Learning to Live in Isolation

When I read Albert Camus' The Stranger and Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis, I began to embrace solitude. Camus taught me about the absurdity of life—how it has no inherent meaning—and yet we can still create purpose through our actions. Kafka, on the other hand, introduced me to alienation, making me see how disconnected we often are in a modern world.

The chaos of everyday life faded, replaced by a newfound understanding of myself.

References:

• Camus, A. (1942). The Stranger
• Kafka, F. (1915). The Metamorphosis

Dostoevsky: Understanding People’s Souls

Fyodor Dostoevsky’s works, especially Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov, opened my eyes to the complexity of human nature. I started seeing people as Dostoevsky’s characters—full of contradictions, guilt, and the search for redemption.

Raskolnikov’s guilt and Alyosha Karamazov’s purity made me empathize with the struggles and hopes of every person I meet.

References:

• Dostoevsky, F. (1866). Crime and Punishment
• Dostoevsky, F. (1880). The Brothers Karamazov

Schopenhauer and Nietzsche: Thinking Beyond Myself

Arthur Schopenhauer’s The World as Will and Representation showed me the beauty in suffering, while Friedrich Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra demanded that I strive for greatness. Nietzsche’s idea of the “Ubermensch” pushed me to stop making excuses and pursue a life of meaning and strength.

I stopped living passively and began questioning everything.

References:

• Schopenhauer, A. (1818). The World as Will and Representation
• Nietzsche, F. (1883). Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Socrates: Realizing I Knew Nothing

Socrates, through Plato’s Apology and Phaedo, humbled me. His famous words—“I know that I know nothing”—made me realize that acknowledging ignorance is the first step to wisdom.

I started asking better questions, seeking deeper answers, and embracing lifelong learning.

References:

• Plato. (399 BCE). Apology
• Plato. (399 BCE). Phaedo

The Urge to Write

After reading these philosophers, I felt an unstoppable urge to write. Their words planted seeds in my mind, and writing became my way of thinking, questioning, and expressing my experiences. Writing gave me clarity and helped me process what I had learned.

How It Changed Me

Looking back, reading Camus, Kafka, Dostoevsky, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, and Socrates changed everything for me. I no longer accept superficial answers or live passively. I observe deeply, question constantly, and seek beauty even in the absurdity and struggles of life.

As the great poet and sage Al-Mutanabbi once said:

"The wise suffers in bliss with his mind,

While the ignorant finds joy in his distress."

"ذو العَقلِ يَشقى في النَّعيمِ بِعَقلِهِ - وأَخو الجَهالَةِ في الشَقاوَةِ يَنعَمُ"

This struggle is not meaningless—it is the path to awareness, to seeing life as it truly is, with all its contradictions, challenges, and hidden beauty.