Intersubjectivity (Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person)

00:08:16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG7FhmhLfhA

Summary

TLDRThe video delves into the philosophical concept of intersubjectivity, originated by Edmund Husserl, highlighting the human disposition to form intimate and personal relationships. This concept is elaborated upon through Martin Buber's theory of two types of relationships: "I-It," where others are treated as objects for utility, leading to alienation, and "I-Thou," where a genuine, empathetic, and equal interaction forms. The video stresses the tendency of humans to act differently depending on social contexts, a behavior termed as "seeming." Yet, there is an innate desire for genuine interactions characterized by empathy, availability, and care—a reflection of deeper humanistic values. This narrative encourages viewers to reflect on their interactions and strive for authentic, meaningful connections.

Takeaways

  • 🤝 Intersubjectivity fosters personal and deep connections between individuals.
  • 📚 Originated by Edmund Husserl, intersubjectivity is about empathy-based relationships.
  • 🗣️ Seeming affects how individuals present themselves based on desired impressions.
  • 💬 Dialogue leads to genuine human interactions and mutual respect.
  • 🔍 Buber's 'I-It' vs 'I-Thou' relationships distinguish objectification from genuineness.
  • 👥 Empathy, availability, and ethics of care drive meaningful relationships.
  • 🎭 Seeming can lead to superficial connections, contrasting with genuine dialogue.
  • 🌟 True relationships see others as subjects, not objects.
  • 💔 Alienation results from inauthentic, exploitative relationships.
  • 🌱 Pursuing 'I-Thou' relationships values personal uniqueness and equality.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:08:16

    The video begins by emphasizing the notion that when we perceive others as individuals and not objects, we become truly human, referencing Martin Buber's ideas. Humans are naturally inclined to live in groups and often interact based on the usefulness of others to them. However, some interactions are genuine and intimate, treating others as subjects rather than objects. Such relationships are called intersubjectivity, a term developed by Edmund Husserl, which entails the exchange of thoughts and emotions between individuals, facilitated by empathy. It involves a shared understanding and recognition of each other as individuals. Despite this, people often become self-conscious about their image and how others perceive them, leading to different behavior in front of different people, known as 'seeming.' True interaction is called 'dialogue,' characterized by genuine engagement through words and actions as equals.

Mind Map

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • What is intersubjectivity?

    Intersubjectivity refers to the interchange of thoughts and feelings between two conscious beings, as facilitated by empathy.

  • What does 'seeming' mean in human interactions?

    Seeming is behaving differently in front of others to create a specific impression, which involves taking on roles or hiding aspects of oneself.

  • What are the three levels of intersubjectivity?

    It consists of empathy, availability, and ethics of care, which are necessary for deep, meaningful connections.

  • What are the two types of relationships according to Martin Buber?

    The 'I-It' relationship treats others as objects, and the 'I-Thou' relationship involves genuine exchanges as equals.

  • What is alienation in relationships?

    Alienation occurs when individuals are treated as mere objects rather than distinct persons.

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  • 00:00:00
    when we encounter another individual
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    truly as a person not as an object for
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    use we become fully human Martin
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    bber we human beings are said to be
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    social animals that we are naturally
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    drawn to live in groups be it a small
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    family or a complex City in these groups
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    we interact with each other and we do so
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    mostly because like useful objects we
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    need something from them other
  • 00:00:26
    interactions however are more selfless
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    and intimate they are not based on other
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    people's usefulness in them we don't
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    treat others like objects but as
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    subjects in philosophy this kind of
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    relationship is referred to as
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    intersubjectivity in this video we will
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    talk about what intersubjectivity is
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    it's three levels and the two ways we
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    interact with others according to the
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    Austrian Jewish philosopher Martin
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    bber what is
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    intersubjectivity the term inter
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    subjectivity was called coined by the
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    Austrian German philosopher Edmund husel
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    it is a compound of the prefix inter
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    which means between or among and the
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    philosophical term subject which refers
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    to a conscious being inter subjectivity
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    therefore is The Interchange of thoughts
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    and feelings both conscious and
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    unconscious between two subjects or
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    persons as facilitated by empathy it
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    refers to the human characteristic to
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    engage in an intimate and personal
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    relationship with others who are
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    different from but also similar to
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    oneself it is the shared understanding
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    among persons made possible by the
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    mutual awareness and recognition of the
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    self and the other as
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    persons however despite our
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    intersubjective or authentic
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    relationships with others we still tend
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    to become conscious with our self-image
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    and with how others see us because of
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    this we tend to act differently before
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    others depending on who we are relating
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    with for example we may act nicely when
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    we are with our boss while rudely when
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    we are with our
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    clients this pretentiousness is known as
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    seeming seeming is a way of approaching
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    the other based on the image one wants
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    to impress on him or her by what one
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    wants the other to be it involves taking
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    on roles or hiding aspects of oneself
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    usually in order to appear more
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    desirable to the other despite this
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    tendency to pretend however we still
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    strive for a deeper and more genuine
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    interaction with others this more
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    authentic interaction is called
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    dialogue a dialogue is an interaction
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    between persons that happens through
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    speech or the use of words expressions
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    and Body Language it occurs when two
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    individuals view each other as another
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    when they acknowledge each other's
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    presence uniqueness and differences and
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    treat each other as equals it is the
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    opening up the giving and receiving of
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    persons to each other in their
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    encounter the three levels of inter
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    subjectivity there there are three
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    levels of intersubjectivity namely
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    empathy availability and ethics of care
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    empathy is the ability to share the
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    emotions or to put oneself in the shoes
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    of the other it is rooted in a person's
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    awareness that the other is also a
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    person who has
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    feelings availability on the other hand
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    is the willingness of a person to be
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    present and be at the disposal of the
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    other lastly ethics of care which is
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    also a moral theory emphasizes the moral
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    dimension of human interactions and
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    relationships it believes that the self
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    has the moral obligation to respond to
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    the needs of the other especially the
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    vulnerable which it cannot
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    ignore to dive deeper into the topic of
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    inter subjectivity let us now turn to
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    the Austrian Jewish philosopher who had
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    a profound impact on how modern thinkers
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    saw Human Relationships Martin bber in
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    his book entitled I and thou bber
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    identified two ways in which the self or
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    the I relates with the other
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    the first one is the aat
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    relationship the ayat relationship
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    according to bber refers to the world of
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    sensation where there are objects in
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    this relationship human persons do not
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    experience an authentic encounter with
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    each other rather what happens is that
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    the self or the eye treats the other as
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    an object to be experienced and used
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    deep down the eyat relationship is all
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    about oneself because others are seen
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    merely as objects that serve one's
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    interest it is not a dialogue but a
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    monologue a relationship with one's own
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    self examples of aat relationships are
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    employers who treat workers like
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    machines and businesses that use women
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    in their advertisement just to increase
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    sales this kind of relationship results
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    into what is called
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    alienation alienation happens when a
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    relationship is inauthentic deceptive
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    and
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    exploitative it arises when the self
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    ceases to view the other as as a
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    distinct or authentic person and
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    considers him or her as a mere object or
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    means to satisfy its interests it is a
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    disorientating sense of exclusion that
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    can lead to the other's loss of dignity
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    and Humanity resulting to his or her
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    dehumanization the second way the self
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    relates with the other is the IOU
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    relationship in contrast to the IAT
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    relationship the IOU refers to the world
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    of encounters and relationships with
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    other persons it is a relationship where
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    there is a genuine sharing of one
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    another without
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    objectification in this relationship the
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    ey treats the other as distinctly other
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    th as another person who is different
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    from itself as someone who has different
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    characteristics beliefs values and
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    interests at its Center is a genuine
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    form of interaction a
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    dialogue to recap intersubjectivity is a
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    kind of relationship where two subjects
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    or persons interchange thoughts and
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    feelings both conscious and uncons
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    conscious as facilitated by empathy in
  • 00:06:02
    any relationship however human beings
  • 00:06:05
    become conscious with their self-image
  • 00:06:07
    and how others see them as such they
  • 00:06:10
    tend to act differently before different
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    people an attitude known as seeming
  • 00:06:15
    despite this human beings still long for
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    a deeper and more genuine interaction
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    with others a longing fulfilled only by
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    dialogue or the opening up the giving
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    and receiving of persons to each other
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    in their encounter inter subject
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    objectivity has three levels namely
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    empathy or the ability to put oneself in
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    the shoes of the other availability or
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    the willingness to be present and be at
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    the disposal of the other and ethics of
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    care or the moral obligation to respond
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    to the needs of the other the Austrian
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    Jewish philosopher Martin bber presented
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    two influential ways on how we relate
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    with others the I it and the I thou
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    relationship in the aat relationship
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    human persons do not experience an
  • 00:06:57
    authentic encounter with each other
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    this is because the self treats the
  • 00:07:01
    other as an object to be experienced and
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    used as such it is a monologue and
  • 00:07:07
    results in alienation or an inauthentic
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    deceptive and exploitative
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    relationship in the IOU relationship on
  • 00:07:15
    the other hand there is a genuine
  • 00:07:16
    sharing of one another in this
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    relationship the ey treats the other as
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    distinctly other as another person who
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    has different characteristics beliefs
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    and values it is a dialogue a genuine
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    form of
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    interaction how about you have you ever
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    had a genuine meaningful relationship
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    with another person how was it what did
  • 00:07:39
    you do and how did you feel let us know
  • 00:07:42
    in the comments
  • 00:07:47
    below if you like this video please give
  • 00:07:50
    it a thumbs up follow us on social media
  • 00:07:52
    and subscribe to our channel for more
  • 00:07:54
    related content thank you and see you in
  • 00:07:57
    the next one
Tags
  • intersubjectivity
  • Martin Buber
  • philosophy
  • I-Thou relationship
  • human interaction
  • empathy
  • alienation
  • authentic relationships