The Concept of Ownership

Ownership Having things, we all like having things. Media and popular culture is rank with the need and competition for the ownership of tangible things. By this bigger car! Get this special spoon-fork hybrid! It is a constant and dangerously consuming race and it is not surprising that because of it some philosophers, like Plato, have concluded that ownership is damaging to one’s morals. But then there are philosophers like Aristotle, who say that tangible ownership can help develop a person. And their opinion is not unfounded. Owning things that we feel we’ve earned brings a great amount of confidence. But it’s not just things, it’s also ideas, traits and skills, at least according to philosopher number three Jean-Paul Sarte. This is where thing step off the track of confidence and vanity and onto the winding way of self-awareness and identity. Ownership, on both existential planes, is incredibly important in shaping a character, but if we want the growth be positive then we must stay vigilant, for in the owning of both the tangible and intangible there is the constant threat of being consumed. At its best ownership can be an effective way to learn responsibility. Think of the child’s allowance, given to teach them how to manage money. Whether we realize it or not, we as a community use ownership, to shape others’ characters on a daily basis. Sometimes it’s not the ownership, but the desire to own that is used to motivate. Instead of a regular allowance the needs to do chores without prompting to earn his cash. Instead of buying snacks and knick-knacks, the couple saves money and buys a new car. The story behind an object can greatly increase its value and the self-worth we feel when we see it. The same can be said for skills and ideas. The person born with wonderful artistic skill will certainly take pride in their talent and creations, but the artist who spent years honing his skills will feel this to an even greater extent as well as be more humbled from