Ownership

Like many of us, I struggle with the idea of ownership.  In our society the struggle is likely to be something along the lines of how to acquire and own more.  This is not my struggle.

Because of where I happen to be born my struggle is with how to own less.  As Americans most of us have more than we need, and use up most of the resources in the world.

I listened to somebody tell me how great the property was that he had just purchased.  It had lots of room and a great view.  He then told me how busy he was and that he had no time for the very things that come with owning a property.  He, thought it made more sense, economically, to pay somebody else to do that work.

We also spoke about automobiles.  He noticed the truck I had just purchased.  It is 18 years old, but in reasonably good condition and was very inexpensive.  Something another person was done with.  My friend said, "You got yourself a nice little truck there".  He then asked if he might buy it, but then went on to talk about trading in his own truck that was 5 years old for a newer one.  He talked of the "full coverage insurance" he carries on his vehicles and how much that cost.  His insurance coverage for a few months equals the purchase price of my new-used truck.

I like the things I buy to be "used" or discards.  They require less of the resources of the planet for their construction, manufacture, & transport to market.  The also most times, remove something from being piled up into a landfill.  I give them more useful time, as well as get to learn something about them by fixing any issues they might have had.  This makes me feel good and it also saves me a huge amount of money.

I do own a lot of things.  Many of the things I own were in trash heaps or headed to them.  The benefit of owning enough property to store some things on is that once I acquire them the can sit and be worked on, or be stored for use later and their is no inconvenience or cost.

For example, I like sailboats.  I own three, and about 6 other boats.  They were all either purchased used and for very little, or I built them myself.  In fact 2 of them were given to me.  These boats cost me nothing to keep.  The barn I built to house them cost me nothing to build as it was from scrap wood and materials.  I am now paying for one boat to be in slip in a marina and this is my indulgence to myself.  I am paying the off season rate and thus it is much more economically manageable for me.  I take the boat out about once a week and this is my favorite recreation.  Even though they cause me no hardship of money and they do give me great pleasure and inexpensive recreation, I don't need the number of boats that I own.

I do realize that when I have just one of something and enjoy it, I quite possible enjoy it more.

As long as ownership is not a burden on myself or the world around me by using up resources, my own, or the worlds, I see no great problem with ownership, with the understanding that ownership should be useful and not just to attempt to satisfy an unquenchable hunger to consume or gain status or identity.

Ownership should be reasonable.