Is Ownership Important?

I watch my fellow young adults with interest. They are drawn to stream music on Spotify, movies on Netflix, and to live in urban condo communities. I get it. Believe me, I love the idea of having on demand entertainment. I almost always have Spotify running. As a musician, there’s something amazing about being able to call up any song, at any time. There’s a small ping in my heart, however, when I think that I don’t own the recording. The artist or the label could call that album back at any time, and I lose access. Isn’t it all about the access? Some movies have been pulled from Netflix, even while I was in the middle of them.

As renters we lose access to the thing we cherish as soon as the owner wants to take possession back. Why, then, is it better to rent than own? I can’t quite wrap my head around it. I understand the convenience of renting. No repairs, no yard work, more songs and movies at our fingertips than we can afford to purchase, etc. I’m worried, however, that this generation is putting convenience over ownership. When you own something there is always more work and/or money involved, but you’ve got more skin in the game when you want to make a decision surrounding said property.

I believe that ownership is still king. In entertainment, a mix is preferable, where you rent access, but buy your favorites, so they will always be available. In land and homes, however, ownership is the only way to be able to have the security and ability to grow and store your own food, paint a room the way you want, knock down walls, add on, own ATVs, sit on your own patio, or practice a musical instrument. Owning a vehicle allows you travel freely. Mass transit limits where and when you can go.

While in some things renting may seem attractive, there is no substitute for owning. Let’s not relinquish control of everything, or one day the few that held on to ownership will come calling… and we’ll wish we weren’t under their thumb.