The Death of Ownership and The Rise of Tech Privatization Monopoly

We live in an era defined by memberships and fees, not ownership. From streaming services for music and movies to subscription models for software and even cars, the trend is clear: we are increasingly renting rather than buying. This shift has brought convenience and lower upfront costs, but it also raises fundamental questions about ownership, control, and consumer rights. The rise of the "membership economy" means we pay recurring fees for services and products we once purchased outright. While this model offers flexibility and continuous updates, it also means we never truly own these assets. Our access is contingent upon ongoing payments; if we stop subscribing, we will lose everything associated with that service.

I remember when I took the class of Business Ethics in University, the main focus since Adam Smith, Capitalism is MAXIMISATION OF PROFITS. This is the most important value for most, if not all, companies. Some might say, well, thats natural since a company's goal is to not fall behind with trends and its quarter balance sheet, trying to get that profit column always green and rising. But this comes with a drawback and expense on the end user and the overall economy. We now live in an era where there is a rush in building mediocre products that last a short period, so that businesses can manipulate the sense of evolving and innovation. Another important aspect that I learned in that class was the negligence and importance of certain principles. For example, looking at climate change and sustainability matter. Companies do not follow those principles because it has a positive outcome overall in the world and for future generations, but rather because laws, regulations, and policies are enforced with huge fines. Moreover, such laws and regulations do not define the real limit and ethical boundary for being sustainable; rather, they are just a small and temporary mitigation for a bigger issue that will expand throughout the year and require new regulations. Consumerism at its finest.

While we discussed the views of business ethics, we also have the shadow agreements we take with each company. Many subscription agreements contain terms and conditions that limit companies' liability for negligence or service disruptions. Consumers often find themselves with little recourse when services fail or when they suffer losses due to the platform's shortcomings. The convenience of these services can come at the cost of our ownership rights and consumer protection. For example, if a company faces a breach, your data will be taken and published online for anyone to exploit, usually with a payment which can go down to 2$ per individual confidential data, as well as in some cases for free.This evolving landscape demands a critical examination of the balance between convenience and control. Are we sacrificing long-term ownership and security for short-term access? As the subscription model permeates more aspects of our lives, understanding its implications for our rights and possessions becomes increasingly crucial. Companies like Adobe might say it's to fight piracy, yet piracy never died.

What do you think about this era? I must say, sometimes I miss when we used to buy the products with a one-time payment, and then every few years, pay just to get the update. The question is no longer what the future holds, but what boundaries we, as consumers, must draw to reclaim our right to own, protect, and control our digital lives.