That was Martin Buber's emphasis, that the relationship between I and You is more important and honest than the one between I and It.

We certainly have more power than earlier generations to wreck the planet's ability to support life. I talk about that prospect here:

https://medium.com/the-apeiron-blog/hubris-and-alienation-the-roots-of-the-environmental-crisis-28c589ad00c9?sk=1a06b5b72ebd8df39ba91abe2fa3c401