“What is at the root of self-ownership?”

Self-ownership is the assertion that one is responsible for one’s actions and the direct consequences of one’s actions. This is a both a tautological redundancy and a self-evident statement. If one is to rationally function in the real world one must inherently accept the idea of self-ownership. If I strangle a hobo, it is commonly understood that I get punished and not my hands, as I own my hands and all the actions they perform. Moreover I also must own the death of the hobo as that is the direct result of my actions.

To state “I do not own myself” is to be committing a performative contradiction. One must first claim self-ownership in order to then claim one rejects self-ownership. Furthermore, if one claims to reject self-ownership or that humans do not possess it, who does? That is, who is responsible for the actions of immoral and wicked actions if not the individuals who are committing the actions? God, Mother Nature, the collective, Shiva, Buddha, Jesus Christ? Someone must be held accountable for evil. Diffusion of responsibility is one of the greatest scourges to plague humanity and has allowed for the most horrific atrocities. When everyone is to blame, no one is to blame. The assumption of individual self-ownership is the foundation of a civilized society.

Whose property is my body? Probably mine. I so regard it. If I experiment with it, who must be answerable? I, not the State. If I choose injudiciously, does the State die? Oh, no.

Mark Twain

https://steemit.com/selfownership/@danilo-cuellar/what-is-at-the-root-of-self-ownership