The Erosion of Ownership: What’s Truly Ours Anymore?

The term “erosion of ownership” stuck with me when I recently came across an article about automakers charging subscription fees for basic features like heated seats or remote start. It put words to something I’ve felt for a long time: the creeping loss of what it means to truly own anything.

Ownership used to be straightforward. You bought something, and it was yours, end of story. I’ve owned a 2009 BMW, a 2010 Jeep Wrangler, a 2015 Jeep Wrangler, and a 2017 Toyota Tacoma. Each one felt like mine. There was a sense of pride, permanence, and reliability. They seemed built to last, and I could hold onto them as long as I wanted. They weren’t just a form of transportation, they felt like extensions of my life.

But today, it feels like everything is shifting toward perpetual renting. Automakers are turning vehicles into ongoing revenue streams, where even basic features are locked behind paywalls. Want heated seats in the winter? Pay up, monthly. The article highlighted how companies like BMW and Toyota tested these subscription models, and while public backlash forced some retreats, the fact that they even tried says a lot about where things are heading.

And it’s not just cars. Think about music, movies, and even software. I remember building a music collection, CDs, tapes, even MP3s, that I could play anytime, anywhere. Now? You need a subscription service and Wi-Fi. Same with movies and shows; gone are the days of DVDs. Even software like Photoshop, once a one-time purchase, now requires a monthly fee, something I am stuck with, with my marketing company unicorn pony.

What’s next? Subscription-based coffee makers? (I love coffee). Pay-per-use dishwashers? Home ownership is already feeling like a pipe dream for so many, with soaring prices and a system that seems rigged to favor investors over individuals. This is runaway capitalism that is tearing at ‘the dream’. Are we moving toward a world where nothing is truly ours anymore?

The erosion of ownership is unsettling. It changes the way we relate to the things we buy and the lives we build. It changes what is left behind and passed down. When everything becomes temporary or conditional, what does that do to our sense of stability and independence?

We need to push back against this trend before it becomes the norm across every industry. BMW scrapped its heated seat subscriptions after public backlash, proving that collective outrage works. But the fight is far from over.

It’s time to rethink what ownership means in the 21st century. Are we willing to accept a world where everything is rented, where nothing truly belongs to us? Or will we demand better, a return to a time when buying something meant it was ours?

Thanks for reading.

- Mathew