Martin Buber - Dialogue
How do we know when communication has served to strengthen relationships between people and expand individual viewpoints? When does communication reach beyond individual goals to promote and develop a sense of community? We can attempt to answer questions like these by exploring Martin Buber’s theory of Dialogue.
I. Explanation of theory
According to Martin Buber, an essential building block of community is the concept of dialogue. People often think of dialogue as merely script, or an exchange of words. Martin Buber has presented dialogue as being much more than the exchange of messages and talk that takes place in human interaction. He describes genuine dialogue as "…no matter whether spoken or silent…where each of the participants really has in mind the other or others in their present and particular being and turns to them with the intention of establishing a living mutual relation between himself and them" (Arnett, p.6, 1986).
Dialogue is unique because it evolves through a process and particular quality of communication whereby parties achieve a "connection." This connection between participants allows for each party to potentially change the other, or be changed by the other (lecture notes). A relationship that has the ability to produce dialogue is referred to as an I-thou relationship. This means that one will relate to and experience another person as another person. It requires having regard for both self and other. The opposite type of relationship is referred to as the I-it relationship. Parties relate to and experience each other as objects or means to achieving goals in an I-it relationship. This relation contains only regard for self. Buber does not suggest that we are to avoid ...
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Personally, I like this theory because it promotes unity amongst people. Dialogue shows us that there can be disagreements about certain issues and still have a true community. I don’t think that we have much of that today. Disagreements tend to separate rather than integrate. Dialogue may not be useful in that we are not able to create it, but the theory is useful in providing awareness of what it takes to build the groundwork for possible dialogue. Overall, dialogue will happen with or without the theory and only those that believe in valuing others will appreciate it.
References
Arnett, R. C. (1986). Communication and community. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
Griffin, E. A. (1997). A first look at communication theory (3rd ed). The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Kaufmann, W. (1970). I and thou. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.
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Griffin, Emory A. (2009). Chapter 3: Weighing the Words. A first look at communication theory(7th ed., pp. 27-29). Singapore: McGraw-Hill Education (Asia).
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Her father had arranged for a colleague, Agostino Tassi, to further her art lessons. Tassi not only taught her painting but sexually assaulted her as well. After the assault, Tassi promised her that he would marry and save her honor. Believing his words, she accepted the terms. A...
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West, Richard, & Turner, Lynn H. (2000). Introducing Communication Theory: Analysis and Application. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield publishing.
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