Ownership In The Wild Chris Mccandless

Ownership is a claim living things make which expresses possession. It is a natural instinct to stake your claim, or in other words ‘mark your territory’, thus the action is highly visible in our lives. Ownership is commonly thought of in relation to possession of physical objects, but it can also relate to the possession of skills or ideas, a concept contemplated by philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. The phenomenon of ownership has varying outcomes; in some cases possession brings forth unpleasant greed and malice. But at other times claiming objects or ideas increases personal pride, and increases ability, knowledge and camaraderie. Aristotle agrees with this, and theorizes that owning something positive boosts personal character. Contrastingly,

The desire to claim items and ideas brings forth egotistical and territorial qualities. Prioritizing the need to achieve ownership of materials above other aspects of life is detrimental to one’s character. In Into the Wild Chris McCandless’ parents devote their lives to earning money, molding them into greedy and short-tempered individuals. Over time this contributes to Chris’ disappearance. The sole objective of gaining wealth overtook them, preventing a fully balanced lifestyle. The innate need for possession, or more specifically money, leads to the surfacing of anger and greed. If ownership was not emphasized in society, these qualities would not be present. Not only does establishing dominance over resources cause hostility, but it deters from alternate aspects of life including family, community, education, and overall well-being. Obsessing over ownership promotes unhealthy greed. During the Space Race, countries competed to claim galactic objects. Creating enemies, hostilities, and anger, this battle forced nations to focus only on themselves rather than maintaining a global outlook. Focus shifted from serious issues of poverty and hunger to the