World Own Nothing Day

The demands placed upon the global environment by the consumer credit society, and the associated system that leaves workers running without end on a financial hamster wheel, have been unsustainable for a long time. Few can ever reach a state of happiness under such conditions, and every March 30th Own Nothing Day will recognize and celebrate a new paradigm where people are liberated from the burden of property ownership and the endless boom-and-bust debt cycles that characterize consumerism.
Owning Nothing, which is intimately tied with the concept of Universal Basic Income, can create an equitable society without the endless, chaotic competition for profits that strips the world bare of resources that are best left in the ground. Using sophisticated technology in factories, farms, transportation and sharing; goods and services can be manufactured or repurposed, and then delivered directly to people in near real-time, eliminating the need to own individual items in wasteful, repetitive sprawl. Imagine a smart factory anticipating that you need a replacement battery for the Mixed Reality headset you use before you even realize it yourself, and then having a perfectly reconditioned one arrive on your rental apartment’s doorstep via autonomous delivery robot. The old battery will be picked up by a drone later and taken to an automated recycling facility, extracting the otherwise toxic metals for reuse rather than having to mine for new material. Because the headset in this example is provided as a service, rather than property, the system anticipates the need for maintenance rather than placing the onus on you. In fact, Products-as-a-Service incentivizes businesses to keep things in use rather than make them disposable throwaways. Lastly, your smart city’s A.I. would let you know that you’ve received a bonus to your social score by behaving in an environmentally responsible manner.
Critics might argue that the violation of property rights is not worth the benefits of ending consumerism, but the concept of owning nothing is not about harming individuals, but liberating them. Again, modern economics is like a hamster wheel where people have to run faster and faster without ever making any progress. Get off the wheel. Freedom from worry is one of the most important human rights, and owning nothing provides that freedom. You’ll be happy.

Frequency

World Own Nothing Day will be celebrated every March 30th.

Key Concepts

Products-as-a-Service
Circular Economy
Sharing Economy
Access over Ownership
Social Scores

How to Celebrate

The main progress for owning nothing should start in 2030 and beyond, but there’s no reason not to start acclimating to the new way today. Take the opportunity on Own Nothing Day to introduce the concept to friends and relatives who have not heard of it before. Older generations, in particular, may provide the most resistance to progress. Think about how laws, regulations and norms will need to change to enable a society that is free of the burdens of owning things. Seek out and vote for leaders who understand the implications of this upcoming societal transformation and are prepared to be proactive rather than reactive. Lastly, use the hashtags #OwnNothingDay or #WorldOwnNothingDay on social media to promote and celebrate this liberating idea.