Today, people own a lot of stuff. They own a book to an I-pod, or a tablet and other things they can own. Well, what does it really mean to “own something?” Ownership is defined as to have possession of something. Can you own a computer and or own an intangible such as an idea or thought? I believer ownership and sense identity go hand in hand with each other because one can own a physical object as well as a own skills, thoughts, ideas, and knowledge. Plato argued that owning objects is detrimental to a person’s character. I believe that is true because once you own something, how you act afterwards can change your character. For example I read a book where there were two guys who started out poor, were nice to those around them and not afraid to lend a helping hand, but they each worked their way to top. Once they got to the top, they were both very wealthy. Each owned a huge mansion, expensive vehicles, and all the other perks that come with being rich. Now being rich was the only similarity that they shared. However, one guy’s character changed when he became rich, and the other’s character improved. Guy number one became selfish and thought of everyone else beneath him. He no longer wanted to help anyone and didn’t care whether or not he was being mean. He treated everyone as refuse because he owned many things that others could only dream of owning. On the other hand, guy number two was still the same guy, or a better guy, he was before he became rich. He still treated everyone with respect and now that he was rich, helped people in more ways than he could before. Whatever he owned, he wasn’t afraid to donate for a greater cause. As you can see, now that guy number became rich, his character changed for the worse. For guy number two, his character changed for the better when he became rich. On the other hand, Aristotle claims that ownership of tangible goods help to develop moral character. I immediately supported this idea because when I go into my Hogan, I see the grinding stone, Navajo brush, Navajo blankets, paintings and sketches of the holy people up on the wall in the Hogan. All these serve as a religious purpose to identify myself as a Navajo. All those tangible objects are a constant reminder to me of my morals, discipline, and religious faith. It is all these tangible objects that are sacred to Navajo culture that help to develop moral character. All those tangible objects show everyone around me what religion I follow, which displays how tangible items identify ourselves. Just as the twentieth-century philosopher, Jean-Paul Sartre, I too believe that ownership extends much farther than tangible objects, but the intangible as well. Such intangible things include thoughts and ideas. Once you think of an idea or thought, it is your own original idea or thought. No one can place an idea or though inside your head, you do that all on your own.
