Reference: The Book of Scientology
Ownership
Please see the original section at the link above.
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Summary
Hubbard says, “The whole question of ownership is subject to grave error, particularly on the part of Homo sapiens… Instead of having things, they themselves are had by things. Their freedom in motion is enormously reduced, although they have tricked themselves into believing that possession will increase that freedom.”
This echoes what Hinduism has been saying since ancient times. Do not get attached to worldly things. If you start getting attached to your possessions, there goes your freedom.
Hubbard says, “Individuality depends upon high-tone level and freedom, whereas identity, as such, would be at a complete level of reduction, a condition analogous to MEST.”
If identity is a source of attachment, how is the fixation on individuality any different! Where does individuality end, and identity begin? What is this thing you are identifying as your individuality, and desperately want it to be permanent? Doesn’t this sound like attachment too? Identity is just a condensed individuality. It is what the person thinks he is. But there is nothing wrong with identity or individuality if the person is not fixated on it, and doesn’t look at it as something permanent.
On the same token there is nothing wrong with the havingness of ownership, or with possessions, as long as there are no fixations. Wherever a child is upset on the subject of ownership, it is because his learning was interrupted. His toys were the methods through which he was learning about his surroundings. When his toys were controlled, his learning was interrupted. If he were allowed to understand why he should take care of his possessions, he would happily do so. He would not get upset on the subject of ownership.
With ownership comes certain responsibility. And if a person understands that responsibility and takes care of his possessions without becoming attached to them, he would enjoy those possessions much more. If he loses those possessions then he would simply go and get other possessions. He would understand this as life. He would not be in a state of anxiety about owning things.
When there are fixations, the sense of continuity is missing. One would then have trouble on the subject of time because time has to do with continuity.
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Comments
The ultimate ownership is to have the knowledge of the universe, and to be able to use that knowledge skillfully. This havingness comes from resolving anomalies. This is what scientists love to do. It gives them a wonderful sense of freedom.
There is nothing wrong with owning things. But getting fixated on something you own is an anomaly. Resolving that fixation is to acquire a greater sense of freedom.
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