Canada’s Cash Grab Reminds Us Why Ownership Matters

‘Do you want to own a drill?” asks the old adage. “Or do you just want two holes in your wall?” Having watched the behavior of the Canadian government over the last couple of weeks, I think I’ll take the drill.

Historically, this “drill, or two holes in the wall” question has been invoked in the context of marketing — its purpose being to remind the purveyors of consumer products that they should focus on what their wares do rather than what they are. “Don’t tell people how strong the engine is,” a consultant might say, “tell them how fast they can drive.” More recently, however, the idea has been adapted to explain the benefits of a futuristic model in which, as the Cato Institute’s Paul Matzko suggests, we will “own less but have more.” In the coming years, Matzko suggested this week, Americans will choose to “swap out physical possession for access to streams of service” — “think Netflix or rental cars but for almost everything.” “Rather than storing an object 24/7 in case you might infrequently use it at some indeterminate point in the future,” he concludes, “our stuff will circulate.”

About the Author

Charles C. W. Cooke

Charles C. W. Cooke is a senior editor at National Review and the host of The Charles C. W. Cooke Podcast.

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‘Do you want to own a drill?” asks the old adage. “Or do you just want two holes in your wall?” Having watched the behavior of the Canadian government over the last couple of weeks, I think I’ll take the drill.

Historically, this “drill, or two holes in the wall” question has been invoked in the context of marketing — its purpose being to remind the purveyors of consumer products that they should focus on what their wares do rather than what they are. “Don’t tell people how strong the engine is,” a consultant might say, “tell them how fast they can drive.” More recently, however, the idea has been adapted to explain the benefits of a futuristic model in which, as the Cato Institute’s Paul Matzko suggests, we will “own less but have more.” In the coming years, Matzko suggested this week, Americans will choose to “swap out physical possession for access to streams of service” — “think Netflix or rental cars but for almost everything.” “Rather than storing an object 24/7 in case you might infrequently use it at some indeterminate point in the future,” he concludes, “our stuff will circulate.”