Just finished reading Mine! How the Hidden Rules of Ownership Control Our Lives by Michael Heller and James Salzman. The book argues that six core rules shape our subconscious beliefs about ownership—like First Possession (whoever claims something first owns it) and Labor Creates Ownership (if you transform something, you own it).
Interesting read, but I’m skeptical that these six rules fully explain ownership. The book covers everything from airplane seat disputes to VIP passes at Disney to organ markets. A recent example is the CBS Sunday Morning segment on Nazi-looted art highlights similar ownership dilemmas—should art sold under duress be returned?
Worth reading.