Martin Buber I You Analysis

Martin Buber believes that our existence consists of the relationships we have with other people and the world around us. These relationships can be split into two categories, the I-You, and the I-It. In the I-You, one “stands in relation” to the other being, seeing them as they truly are, every part of them comes together to form one whole being (Buber 60). The I part of the word I-You sees all the characteristics of the You, yet they all become relative – as they are seen through the light of the You – and their existence is not of importance. However, the I in the I-It looks at the It as a means to an end. The I is goal-driven, it only sees the It for its characteristics, not what it is as a whole being.
We perceive the world as “twofold” …show more content…
He states that as babies, we are unable to differentiate between what is a part of our own body and what is not. As we grow and mature, we begin to distinguish between the outside world and the internal feelings and urges. The ego develops, recognizing unavoidable sources of pain and wishing to separate itself from those pains as much as possible. Our “present ego-feeling is… only a shrunken residue of a much more inclusive… feeling which corresponded to a more intimate bond between the ego and the world about it” (15). This is similar to Buber’s concept of the I-You relationship in the way that one feels connected fully to another being, that there is a feeling of oneness that is not always present but appears from time to …show more content…
Although I can be very pessimistic at times, I like to think of myself as an optimist. I believe that humanity can work together to improve and fix the problems that exist in our society. If we all learn to treat each other with compassion and empathy, despite not agreeing on certain topics, the world would run much more smoothly, and everyone would have better chances at living successful and happy lives. Freud leaves out an integral part of what it means to be human, and Buber is sure to point that out. Although we enjoy finding pleasure and avoiding pain, there is something deeper that occurs between beings.
Freud’s perspective of humanity is very bleak, and fails to acknowledge that sometimes people do not act with the intention or wanting something out of an interaction with another being. People can be altruistic and want what is best for others even if it means sacrificing their own happiness for that to happen. Parents, for example, want what is best for their children. For them, it is not about what they will get out of their child’s success, it is simply wanting for them to have every happiness they