From Dan Ariety's book on Irrationality, I read that Duke basketball ticketholders value their tickets against the Tar Heels at US$3,000. Those who don't get the tickets value the tickets at US$100.
This is why ownership looks alluring. Governments do encourage home ownership, car ownership, etc. It makes us fall in love with what we have, and focus on what we will lose, and assuming others also think the same way we do.
This is why we get McMansions and SUVs - we dare not downgrade. We stand to lose too much if we downgrade.
The truth is, life is more enriching in other forms of lifestyle. Including a simple, nomadic lifestyle. Such is why in the book Frugillionaire, the author suggested we rent homes when home prices are way too high, we live in smaller homes, we take public transport, and we should even try to borrow books from the library for entertainment.
But using the theory of ownership, we can mark up the value of the economy, and value-add it, if we do it for societal purposes.
First of all, I think of sports. I think Green Bay Packers, as the last remaining fan-owned team in the American professional sports leagues, as the best example. Year after year since 1991, they win game after game. They invested in stadium upgrading, top players and coaches, as well as relationship with fans and the community.
With the continued success of the Packers since 1991, almost without interruption, I think of wide-based democracies. In really democratic countries where every vote matters, such as Germany and New Zealand, they happen to offer the most resilient economies currently around the world. New Zealand, while recovering from a devastating earthquake, seems to pick up itself and rebuild. Needless to say, Germany is going strong nowadays, with strong exports outside European Union, which gave the German economy a huge boost. Different parties do work together for consensus, not being at conflict against one another for ideological reasons. In Germany, it seems the conservative main incumbent party is well-positioned to cooperate with the socialist party, to form a coalition, to balance both growth and financial discipline. This will be a broad-based government for the people, by the people.
Indeed, assuming sensible management and stable conditions, no junta ever appears in any democratic government. Inclusive governments will usually have a stable welfare support safety net, strong education, healthcare and defence systems, as well as a reasonable progressive taxation system. Elections are usually free and fair, and elected officials work to their best to work for the best of the country. This looks like the case of the best managed countries around the world, because the people have a say in their country.
This is why ownership looks alluring. Governments do encourage home ownership, car ownership, etc. It makes us fall in love with what we have, and focus on what we will lose, and assuming others also think the same way we do.
This is why we get McMansions and SUVs - we dare not downgrade. We stand to lose too much if we downgrade.
The truth is, life is more enriching in other forms of lifestyle. Including a simple, nomadic lifestyle. Such is why in the book Frugillionaire, the author suggested we rent homes when home prices are way too high, we live in smaller homes, we take public transport, and we should even try to borrow books from the library for entertainment.
But using the theory of ownership, we can mark up the value of the economy, and value-add it, if we do it for societal purposes.
First of all, I think of sports. I think Green Bay Packers, as the last remaining fan-owned team in the American professional sports leagues, as the best example. Year after year since 1991, they win game after game. They invested in stadium upgrading, top players and coaches, as well as relationship with fans and the community.
With the continued success of the Packers since 1991, almost without interruption, I think of wide-based democracies. In really democratic countries where every vote matters, such as Germany and New Zealand, they happen to offer the most resilient economies currently around the world. New Zealand, while recovering from a devastating earthquake, seems to pick up itself and rebuild. Needless to say, Germany is going strong nowadays, with strong exports outside European Union, which gave the German economy a huge boost. Different parties do work together for consensus, not being at conflict against one another for ideological reasons. In Germany, it seems the conservative main incumbent party is well-positioned to cooperate with the socialist party, to form a coalition, to balance both growth and financial discipline. This will be a broad-based government for the people, by the people.
Indeed, assuming sensible management and stable conditions, no junta ever appears in any democratic government. Inclusive governments will usually have a stable welfare support safety net, strong education, healthcare and defence systems, as well as a reasonable progressive taxation system. Elections are usually free and fair, and elected officials work to their best to work for the best of the country. This looks like the case of the best managed countries around the world, because the people have a say in their country.
