You’ll Own Nothing and Be Happy: Is That Our Future?

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Jan 23, 2026

In a thought-provoking discussion, hosts explore the decline of ownership in today’s subscription-driven landscape. They highlight how streaming services and digital products create an illusion of ownership while revealing unsettling realities—like revoked access to purchased content. The conversation shifts to economic pressures that force younger generations into renting rather than owning their homes and vehicles. With policy solutions like the right to repair suggested, they question if society is leaning toward a future where access replaces true ownership.

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ANECDOTE

From Taped Cassettes To Streaming

Mike Moffatt recalls saving up for CDs and taping songs from the radio as a youth to build a music collection.
Cara Stern contrasts that with streaming convenience and smaller living spaces that make owning physical media less appealing.

ANECDOTE

When Digital Purchases Disappeared

Cara Stern recounts Amazon remotely deleting copies of 1984 from Kindle, which shocked users who thought they owned the ebook.
The incident highlighted the fragility of digital

INSIGHT

Illusion Of Ownership In Connected Devices

Mike Moffatt explains the

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Do you actually own the things you pay for anymore?

In this episode of the Missing Middle Podcast, economist Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern explore how ownership is quietly disappearing from everyday life—and what that means for consumers, younger generations, and the economy as a whole.

From streaming services and digital books to video games, cars, exercise bikes, and even housing, more and more products are shifting from one-time purchases to subscription-based access. While these models offer convenience and regular updates, they also raise serious concerns about control, pricing, and long-term access.

Mike and Cara examine the “illusion of ownership” and more about “constrained optimization,” where economic circumstances make traditional ownership nearly impossible for younger generations. Questioning if we are being pushed into a future where the top 0.001% owns all assets while the middle class is permanently transformed into a generation of renters. Mike and Cara break down the policy choices required to reclaim property rights and protect the Canadian dream of actually owning the things you pay for.

Is society moving toward a future where access replaces ownership? And what do we give up when that happens?

👇 Share your thoughts in the comments:
Are subscriptions worth the convenience, or are we losing something more important?

📩 Questions or feedback? Email us at missingmiddlepodcast@gmail.com

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:56 What was the best year for music ever?

02:13 The loss of physical media

03:30 Millennials and the benefits of digital

05:37 The illusion of digital ownership and revoked access

06:40 Digital subscription models

10:10 Rentier capitalism

12:35 The benefits and downsides of subscription