I and Thou
90. Martin Buber, I and Thou (trans. Walter Kaufmann)
This slim book is a treatise by Jewish philosopher Martin Buber on the nature of man’s relationship to the universe and to God. According to Buber, there are two main ways in which man relates to the universe: the I-it relationship and the I-You relationship. The world of I-it is a world of experience and use: the “I” treats other people merely as objects from which “I” can derive some benefit. On the other hand, the world of I-You is the world of relation, in which true communication and love can take place. Buber also writes of God as the eternal “You” who constantly reaches out toward mankind, always ready to enter into the transcendent I-You relationship.
I’ve had this book on my TBR list for ages, so I’m glad I finally took the time to read it! Despite being a short book, it is full of difficult concepts, as well as some obscure prose. I would definitely recommend the Kaufmann translation, which is the version I read; there are extensive footnotes explaining some of Kaufmann’s word choices in the translation, and I found them helpful in clarifying what Buber actually meant. I’m still digesting the book itself, so I haven’t formed too many opinions about Buber’s message, but I do think he makes a lot of good points. The implications of his ideas for religion are especially interesting. I would recommend this book to those interested in philosophy and religion, but the subject matter is difficult to understand at times.