“When man lets it have its way, the relentlessly growing It-world grows over him like weeds, his own I loses it actuality, until the incubus over him and the phantom inside him exchange the whispered confession of their need for redemption.”
I don't think people realize how true this statement actually is. The It-world is the materialistic, impersonal society that we all live in. It is purely focused on relationships that something can be gained from. It is goal oriented and result driven. In this excerpt from Martin Buber, he discusses that when one loses touch with their inner selves, their "I", they allow the It-world to take over and they lose all the personal connections and desires that they have.
Once the It-world encompasses a man, the man's project is lost and society's project takes it's place. The It-world is selfish and due to its goal driven nature it makes man become more harsh and crude than his typical personality allows him. This newfound behavior that makes man strive to reach the goals that society tells him are necessary to meet whether they are necessary to complete their original project or not, makes man behave in ways they would not have even thought of before. This is what Martin Buber is describing when he states, "...the whispered confession of their need for redemption".
This desire for "redemption" can and must be avoided by not allowing ones project to fall in line with that of society. One must remain unique in their personal relationships and in their spirituality otherwise the fate of humanity stands no chance against the greed of the It-world. Do not "let it have its way".
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