I and You

Mary McLean

Dr. Redick

9/24/2014

I and You

            I wish I could stop being a realist and open my mind to the I’s, You’s, and It’s discussed in Martin Buber’s writings. But I cannot suppress my rationality and see the world this way. Things I am not: pious, environmentally conscious, emotional, impartial, and willing to believe in ideas not supported by science and logic. Things I am: atheist, purposeful, critical, bitter, and cynical.  And yet I have been tasked to interpret some man’s writings I consider to be gibberish. His incoherent beliefs judge the way other people choose to live. His opinion on marriage, art, love, and experience versus encounter are ways he views the world, not the reality of the world.

            To understand his beliefs, I suppose you would need to believe people are something special. Part of that self importance is looking at the world from the I perspective, and judging the surroundings as either another being, You, or a subject, It. Part of the distinction of a You is the lack of constraints on that being. It’s have borders and limitations. When a subject is objectified, it changes from a You to an It. There is a loss of appreciation when a You becomes an It. Examples in history of when You becomes Its are slavery in America, prisoners of concentration camps, and Muslim women forced to wear burqas and obey their husbands. Obviously turning a subject into an object can be damaging. Marriage is a religious institution between two I’s that can only work when they reveal their selves to their partner. When it is not a union of two I’s, it can turn abusive and controlling. Equality is a large part of making a marriage work. Love is another aspect of a strong marriage. When the two I’s agree to equal participation. Experiencing a loving relationship is not as powerful as encountering one.

            Buber is speaking about a variety of connections people make. Some of those bonds are between physical components, while others are mystical. One connection is between man and God. To have a successful healthy relationship with God, the I’s need to witness the world unprejudiced. It is only in this way that the I can have a perfect bond with God. The struggle is, God and religion are based on faith. To be pious means to have a certain trust in the mystical world beyond certainty. I cannot grasp this spiritual world, and because of this I am unable to fully understand and appreciate Buber’s message of the I, You, and It’s.