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Jason Moon PHIL 1 May 31 2015 Vician Martin Buber: Utopian Communities Essay Analysis 1. Identify the author’s essay thesis, i.e. the position the author supports on the topic. Throughout the many religious and physical labor interests Martin Buber holds, Buber’s Utopian socialism is an aspect that looms large for his mind to share with the universe. Buber articulates that there is on socialist idea and to free it from the distortions and corruptions that it has gone through in the past several decades, the utopian version of socialism is the best way to think of socialism as it promotes positivity rather than negativity. Buber’s aim for the socialist world is to act as if we are working toward creating a Utopia or in a sense, work with passionate conviction. 2. Identify the position against which the essay’s author argues. Martin Buber is against opposing socialist theories because he feels that the Utopian ideal is the best value of aspiration in the life of mankind. In its endeavor is that it helps people not think negatively and brings optimism in people which is very beneficial to society for its uplifting attitude to bring people closer as a whole. It is overall more beneficial to think of the Utopian mindset rather than other socialistic views such as Marxism. 3. State the data, e.g. reasons/facts/evidence, the author provides to support her/his position on the issue. (You should provide in one sentence or more, the main point of each of the essay’s paragraphs.) Buber states that the Utopian idealism is the true idea of socialism. He exclaims that socialism is the “structural renewal” of society through the development of a network of communities, united together. The socialist idea of Utopians points out the necessities of people working together in their associations and there is no other better way to have an idealism of uplifting attitude with the Utopian idealism. “This is a way to build up a “genuine society”. Buber affirms this quote that is a society composed not of isolated or manipulated individuals. And that people should not ever be concerned to build life on a basis of free community and expression. Buber is saying that people lack self confidence or trust in others to make a move in their own lives which leads to the creation of negative vibes in this large communities. What Utopians would do is help encourage one another to life a healthier and robust life. Buber states that a nation is a community to a very large degree and that it is a community of communities. He then says that the great enemy of a genuine society, which Buber strives for, is a centralism and authoritarian regimentation, particularly as expressed in the state. The point that Buber makes in this paragraph is that he examines the fundamentals of restructuring the communities within communities to make one big league. He wants to have

layers in these communities so nobody gets left out of this imagined Utopian society. Buber brings up an interesting fact through history. He says that communities aren’t founded and that they’ve existed through destiny and that it was also a part of their fate to become genuine. People just needed a guideline to start living together with immediacy of relationships and these guidelines can be made from the Utopian idealism. He says that Utopian socialism brings the happiest instances to bring the largest amount of affairs and such. In the third to last paragraph Buber brings up a very strong and valid point about economic and political autonomy. He alludes that there are many professional and technical ways to think about society working together as a whole, however, these technical aspects do not change the mindsets of the people within these communities and the Utopian idealism does. If we do get caught up with different idealistic views such as centralism, we will only get into a deeper hole of depression creating a more difficult way to positively change the world. 4. State the data, e.g. reasons/facts/evidence, the author gives for why the opposed position on the topic is unacceptable. Buber opposes many idealistic views but one of the major ones was Karl Marx’s Marxism. Marxism gave a hinted exclamation that a utopian society is non-existent and it is impossible to form one. He says that Marxism creates a sense of negativity amongst people while it is argued as realistic, it seems unrealistic to not think of positive real life aspects. Centralism, economy, and social systems is something that might be concerned for however, Marxism does not proportion the problems correctly and it gives conditions that can be overthought to create more chaos about the strugglings for communities. The Marxism strategy does not have representatives as a socialistic plan. The only way that community building truly works is through the communes working with one another and Marxism does not directly promote that while Utopian socialism does. “Only a community of communities merits the title of Commonwealth”. The idea of Utopian socialism is overall more healthy for the mind in the common people. The idea of a community must be guarded against all the negativity that goes on through the communities. And things like contamination and sentimentality needs to be set aside. In order to do so, the community needs a feeling or attitude of mind that can work through adversity and anxiety. And this real essence of a hardworking and well-built community comes from a community of Utopians that believe in one another. Any other form or factor of socialism does not think about the mentality of humans when such setbacks occur.

5. What social/economic/intellectual, and/or emotional level of personal life do you infer the author represents/supports? Socially, I feel like this idealism is really interesting and I feel like even though it might

not sound realistic at all to any extent, it can definitely be a confidence booster if everyone thought like Buber wanted. Personally, I always have a very upright mindset, but whenever I do face downsides of my life, I can think back to this idealistic view of Martin Buber. 6. Do you agree/disagree with the author’s position on the issue, and give reasons on why do you agree/disagree? I agree with Buber however, It is quite difficult to get everyone to think like this. Getting put under pressure into circumstances where we are living for a utopia might be pretty tough in today’s lifetime. I think this type of mindset is good to an extent because it just creates an overall better atmosphere and mood for those around you. Such happiness or bliss can easily be contagious. 7. Is the author’s position able to be extended equitably on a national/global basis? I feel like the author’s position can be extended on a national or global basis because this idealism can be really unrealistic. I feel like there are no certain rules set in stone, it’s more like a call to action that not even half the world’s population will know about....