The Ownership Myth
Lately, one of the themes of the Bush campaign has been the “ownership society” – the idea that it’s good policy to get Americans to own a piece of the rock so that they have a greater stake in, well, something. It’s a good theme. After all, who could object to the idea that it’s better to own than rent, better to draw interest than pay interest, better to clip coupons than cash a paycheck? I’m here to tell you, when you have your own business, work your own hours, make plenty of money, and have your name on the deed of a nice cozy pad in a cool urban neighborhood, life is good. So long as the phone keeps ringing, of course.
You know what else are good? Bicycles. They’re cheap, they’re clean, they run on power you provide with your own legs (no Saudis in sight), they’re easy to park, portable, easy to fix, great for traffic and lots of fun. If everyone rode bicycles, there’d be hardly any traffic problems, cleaner air, a fitter and healthier population, no oil crisis, etc. etc. Hell, it would solve everything: that’s why I’m running on the platform of the “Bicycle Society.”
But wait, what’s that? You’re too old or out of shape to ride a bike? You think it’s dangerous? It’s inconvenient to carry groceries, or go too far, or ride in bad weather, or up hills? What kind of wimpy whiner are you? I’m sorry, in the Bicycle Society, it’s the tough who survive. If you’re too timid or weak to take advantage of the manifest benefits of bike riding… well, you can always go into bicycle repair, or sell lemonade at the side of the road, or do any of the various menial and low-paid support services bike riders need.
Let’s face it: the ownership society is great, but it’s not for everyone. I’m an extreme case. I’ve been working for myself since I was 24 years old, pay my own health insurance, save for my own retirement in a SEP-IRA. I file tax returns in four-volume bound sets. I’ve had bad years and good. Two years ago, I lost my two largest clients, accounting for over 85% of my income, at the same time. If I had kids or a more expensive mortgage, I would have given serious thought to a different line of work a long time ago.
I’m lucky. Because I’m temperamentally unsuited to work in large organizations for any length of time, I really had no choice but to take the road less traveled. Fortunately, I found something I’m good at and got some traction before practicalities and commitments dragged me under. I survive because I am utterly paranoid and take nothing for granted about my future prospects. I have known more than a few men in my life who were flying high at my age (really high, like sub-orbital), only to face complete and total reversals later in life, when they were too old and dug-in to do anything about it. It’s sad, and it scares the shit out of me.
Rugged individualism is great when you’re healthy, you’re hot and your luck holds. People ask me, given my lifestyle and background, why I’m not more of an economic conservative or libertarian. It’s precisely because I ride so close to the edge of the cliff that I’m so keen to make sure there’s something soft at the bottom. Do I accept responsibility for my health care, my retirement, my financial stability? Of course. But even when you’re responsible and hands-on, you don’t control everything. I’m good at the stuff I’m good at, but on everything else, I need help and I don’t see the big deal about asking for it.
The Ownership Society looks really good to the people who aren’t in it, or who never worry about bad luck because they’re so well provided-for that it doesn’t matter. But ownership comes with risk, and lots of it. What do you say to the worker who invested their privately-managed retirement plan unwisely and ends up with little savings in old age? Tough luck?
I’m sorry, I don’t see the value in forcing responsibility on people who are not competent to handle it, or who don’t want it. Our goal as a community shouldn’t be to make life harder than it already is. That’s tough-guy bullshit, the product of frustration and impotence. A civilized society accepts certain burdens collectively, looks for ways to reduce the stress and uncertainty on families and individuals, trades off a little efficiency for comfort and convenience.
Ownership is a great and good thing, healthy for many people and for society. Everyone who wants to participate in it should be encouraged and supported, just as drivers make room for bicycles on the roads. But by itself, it’s not an answer. It’s just a different set of questions.
9:50:00 AM 
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