Ownership is purely a man-made concept which has existed for thousands of years in some form or another. The question I ask here is simply this, “How does ownership serve you”? Is it in the Highest and Best Good of the Human Race & Earth?
Ownership as defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica is, “the legal relation between a person (individual, group, corporation, or government) and an object. The object may be corporeal, such as furniture, or completely the creature of law, such as a patent, copyright, or annuity; it may be movable, such as an animal, or immovable, such as land. Because the objects of property and the protected relations are different in every culture and vary according to law, custom and economic system and the relative social status of those who enjoy its privileges, it is difficult to find a least common denominator of “ownership.” Ownership of property probably means at a minimum that one’s government or society will help to exclude others from the use or enjoyment of one’s possession without one’s consent, which may be withheld except at a price.”
What do you own? Think carefully here. Are you sure? Is it because you paid for it? Or is it simply that you claimed possession? Can you do with it as you please? Does it bring you joy? Is it time to re-assess your viewpoint on ownership?
Ownership can be reduced to a one word definition, responsibility. Do you own the house you live in or do you simply have responsibility for it while you live there? You make payments on the mortgage till you either move or pay it off, then you still pay taxes and maintenance fees. If you decide to dig for diamonds or drill for oil can you? Doubtful! Most homes do not include mineral rights. Even if they did, do you have the right to lay claim to something which belongs to Mother Earth (everyone)?
Pets are a living thing we claim ownership over, so what is up with this? Aren’t you really just offering to provide care and food for the returned love they provide? Is this ownership? They see it as you have joined their pack or pride! And in reality, this is true also. By owning a pet you have a responsibility to care for this animal plain and simple. It is a joint venture for the betterment of both, no ownership involved!
Marriage can be viewed from the ownership perspective depending on the society you are living in. Families used to give their daughter up in a financial deal with another family in a transaction which benefited both families, a form of ownership, which the man or ruling family controls. In fact, it still exists today in many minds. The husband owns the wife who must conform to his wishes. He bears the responsibility to care for her in the exchange. This is the business of Marriage! $72 million per year is spent on this in the USA alone.
By owning a car, stereo, computer or any other object you have the responsibility to care for this object till you release this “ownership” by selling, giving, or throwing it away. This is really what ownership means! It does not give you the right to abuse the item, pet, or person in your life.
In regards to Marriage and relationships, the responsibility is implied and exists whether married or not. Ownership has nothing to do with it in reality. It is not possible to own another person (without their permission – which marriage constitutes). This is one reason I am done with marriage in any form. Some things are beyond law!
Ownership of property, living or not denotes responsibility! Of course simply being a member of society bears responsibility. What I speak of here is we all own everything. The idea of privileged use of certain items or land is an affront to civilized behavior! The lesson we need to be teaching is that we are all one big family and to damage, abuse, deface, or otherwise destroy anything is offensive to yourself and your family. Even if you are paying for a service like a car wash or renting a bicycle, caring and respecting the item is a part of the temporary ownership you have of that item. Public space is another good example of community ownership and the responsibility each person has to care for it.
It comes down to simply Loving yourself and everything in your life whether it is “yours” or not, because in reality everything belongs to everyone. Equality is the goal! Share and share alike, a resource based economy has this focus and will meet the coming needs of society best. Maybe we should all be looking carefully at what ownership really means and how it applies to society. Maybe we should all be treating everything as if we own it and with the realization we own nothing!
🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth
Oneness Ministry 