Everything-as-a-Service

You’ll own nothing and you’ll be happy. It seems everything is turning into a subscription service these days. Not only do we subscribe to more services than ever before, but more and more things that used to be one-time purchases are turning to subscription models. You can no longer buy licenses to use a piece of software; instead, you subscribe to a service which lets you use that piece of software. The latest thing on the the chopping block is the car. So called “Cars-as-a-Service” or “Vehicles-as-a-Service” is the hot new business model, aiming to “simplify” car ownership and usage. This is just the latest in a long line of things for which traditional ownership is becoming more and more difficult.

The direction things are heading in is no accident. The service-model is more profitable and a more stable source of income for businesses. Why sell a car if you could instead rent it out forever?

This makes us poorer overall, and the usurers richer. We are encouraged to rent everything and to have nothing to call our own. You won’t own your home, your car, your clothes, your media, nothing. The worst aspect of it all is the reliance on the system it fosters. A man cannot be independent if he must rent and borrow. It’s complete and utter reliance on the machine and is abhorrent.

This reliance on the machine is what I find most objectionable. If ever society goes in a direction you disagree with, you may be forced to acquiesce simply because of a financial inability to disconnect. It is a moral responsibility to not end up in this situation—to be able to refuse eating the bugs.

One cannot help but liken the situation to wealthy, fat mosquitoes sucking all the blood out of poor, emaciated sheep. It should come as no surprise that I resist this in all its form, and I encourage you to do the same. Purchase—and take care of—your things. Go ahead and cancel those subscription services. Don’t rent—buy. It’s a good step in reducing your reliance on the machine, it builds up your finances over time, and leads to a much more fulfilling life.