The Crest and Crashing of Ownership

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Whether one owns something or not, seriously affects how they will treat it. However, it is also argued that moral behavior reflects how one handles things such as, property or responsibilities. Not only does owning property or moral behavior affect property, owning property also says something about the person themselves. So much goes into owning and buying property such as the emotional pride and responsibility one feels that comes with it. Though there is empowerment in ownership the individual must show responsibility to pay for it or they will find themselves in debt. Psychologically, ownership affects people on a very emotional scale, from how they treat their property, to an obsession they may develop because of their property, to even how people target certain owners because of their wealth.

In David Boaz’s “defining an ownership society” he quotes Aristotle “what belongs in common to the most people is accorded the least care; they take thought for their own things above all and less about things common, or on so much falls to each individually” (Boaz 329). If a person owns something he is more inclined to take care of it especially if the condition of the product varies the amount of money the person will receive later on. Ownership of a house for instance, thrusts onto a person enormous responsibility. Though the task is stressful it is manageable. As one begins to juggle with the bills and the maintenance of the land they will begin to experience a sense of pride in their home. Boaz uses the axiom “A man’s home is his castle” (Boaz 330). Chosen to express the pride, an individual feels and the sense of immunity one feels from the government inside their home. With the government owning all of one product (an apartme...

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...se, a sense of pride envelopes them as they take on what belongs to them. Debt can also occur because of ownership. If a person does not know their limits or know some sort of restraint, they will be caught in an obsession for getting the new and improved or be completely overwhelmed in massive debt. Nevertheless, if not treated cautiously or with a plan of some sort they will find themselves in deep trouble.

Works Cited

Boaz, David. “Defining an Ownership Society”. McDonald 332-333.

Breen, Steve. “Editorial Cartoons”. McDonald 334-335.

Dugas, Christine. “Debt Smothers Young Americans”. McDonald 336-339.

“Identifying Products with Buyers in Magazines Advertisements: Rolex, John Deere, and Fair Instant Coffee ”. McDonald 340-343.

Klein, Naomi. “Disowned by the Ownership Society”. McDonald 332-333.

McDonald, James C, Ed. The Reader. New York: Longman, 2009.

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