Ownership is sustainability
Image by Shahid Abdullah from Pixabay
We are currently re-painting our houses, starting with the dog kennel and the garage the first year. The houses haven’t even been cleaned for a very long time, perhaps never, and it is a massive undertaking, at least three years. To outsource it would cost a small fortune and it isn’t that difficult to do a half-decent job so we went the DIY route to invest the money in more challenging tasks like plumbing and construction. However, things are only free if your time has no value. And time is the most precious commodity of all. Projects like these really highlight the importance of choosing a place you call home that you love.
In my previous so-called homes, it always felt like a chore to do any kind of DIY or renovation. But as a house owner, you cannot escape it. And upkeep is a never-ending story. In addition, most of us can’t settle for upkeep but want to add a bit of improvement as well, which also strains the time balance sheet further. The only time I didn’t think too much about the chores, was when I was living in a rental apartment for a short time. And the reason is obvious – There is hardly any room to do any meaningful renovations or DIY in a rental apartment! You are not allowed to do that much, and if you make any changes you might need to undo it all and restore it to pristine condition when you move. Where does one find any motivation in that? Consequently, owning your home increases both the potential and probability that you will keep improving and taking care of the place. Note the words take care; you only take care of the things you care about. A rental car compared to your own car provides the perfect analogy. People will not care as much about rental cars, period. And therein lies the problem of the WEF slogan “You will own nothing, and you will be happy”.
We are heading towards an era of reduced ownership in general while at the same time chanting nonstop about sustainability. There is an obvious goal conflict here that deserves more discussion. You cannot make people care equally or more about rental cars than their own cars. It will never happen. Not taking care of things is not sustainable and I think most people will agree with that statement. To go the full socialist route, which “own nothing” equates to, is obviously not sustainable in any way shape or form. The problem is not ownership per se, but a lack of focus. Overconsumption is a problem for sure, but I have no problem with buying expensive stuff on one condition – that it is used. It is extremely stupid to buy stuff that collects dust or rust away. And the probability of that happening increases if you have no direction in your life. If you know exactly where you are going, you will probably make wiser purchase choices and life in general. Some people say that socialism will not work until Hell freezes over. A better analogy could be that socialism will not work until everyone takes better care of rental cars than they do their own.
Me and my wife are now investing most of our vacations in the coming years into our home and taking care of it. Pretty much all our time and money go into the home honestly. But the crucial difference is that it does not feel like a chore or a burden. I want this place to be beautiful and in good shape. Not just for us, but for the ones who one day will take over inevitably. We won’t be here forever, but I hope that I will draw my last breath here, just like my grandfather once did in his home. I will not be moving again if I can do something about it. Every minute I invest makes a difference, for me, for my family, for my community and for everyone else. The importance cannot be overstated. And another benefit of climbing scaffolds for a couple of weeks is that it is a very good health exercise program. You will not get any of that in a rental apartment. Instead, you might go to the gym and do some deadlifts. I think it is healthier for the soul to lift things while renovating a house and creating something real.
I am extremely grateful that I can choose my home. Few people are that privileged. The way to repay that to the community and the world, is to do the best I can with the cards I have been dealt in the genetic tombola and to take care of things around me that I have power over. That is how to create true sustainability. If you want to build a big system that works, start by building a small system that works. Your actions create infinite ripples. Never underestimate the butterfly effect.