Lindie Graves “I and Thou” / “I – it” – This is a term coined by Martin Buber, dealing with human transactions. The “I – it” transaction happens when one person sees the other as an object to be taken advantage of. We often use this type of transaction with a store clerk. We might not even notice what the clerk looks like and we certainly don’t care to know their name. We only see them as a object through which to trade money for merchandise. On the other hand Buber feels that we must change this to an “I and Thou” transaction where we see the spiritual being in all people. We not only see the store clerk as an object, but we may notice their name or ask how their day is going. He felt that our world would be a much more cooperative place if people recognized the sacred being in others.