Remember when homeownership was the gold standard of adulthood? White picket fences, Ikea Allen keys, and a mortgage that doubled as your personality?
Fast forward to 2025, and the new power move isn’t what you own-it’s what you control. Your lights. Your locks. Your blinds. Your air quality, fridge temperature, espresso strength, and even the softness level of your toilet paper (yes, that’s a thing now-ask Japan).
And here’s the kicker: you don’t need to own a single appliance to run a smart home like a Bond villain on a budget.
“Possessions are usually diminished by possession,” said Nietzsche.
And while he probably didn’t mean your subwoofer, it’s strangely applicable when everything is on lease, subscription, or borrowed from a shared economy platform with a 12-page TOS.
What’s Behind the Shift?
1. The Rise of Smart-as-a-Service
Want a smart fridge that tracks your groceries and tells you when you’re low on oat milk? Cool. Don’t want to spend $4,000 on one? Even cooler-just lease it from a company that’ll upgrade it every 18 months. Welcome to “Fridge-as-a-Service.”
2. Urban Transience
More people rent than ever. And landlords, sensing the demand, are installing smart systems as a perk-voice-activated lighting, remote-controlled shades, climate zones adjustable via smartphone.
3. Minimalist Signaling
There’s a strange prestige in having nothing visible but controlling everything. The interface disappears; the control stays. It’s architectural ghosting with a Wi-Fi connection.
Table: Modern Home Ownership vs. Control-as-a-Service
| Category | Traditional Ownership | Modern Control-as-a-Service |
| Fridge | GE Profile in kitchen | Subscription smart fridge |
| Entertainment | Flat screen TV | Projector bundle via BeamCloud |
| Climate | Thermostat you adjust | AI-controlled room zones |
| Security | Hardware lock | App-based access w/ smart alerts |
| Total Cost | High upfront, slow decay | Low upfront, monthly forever |
Tip for the Digitally Curious
Before automating your home, ask:
Are you solving a real problem, or just proving you can yell “Hey Siri, dim the lights to 47%”?
The Tradeoff
Of course, there’s always a tradeoff. You gain convenience and control-but rent it, essentially. Lose your subscription? Say goodbye to the ability to boil water on command.
The illusion of ownership is fading. What replaces it is the interface of influence-you control everything, but you hold nothing.
Open-Ended Question
If you can control every square inch of your home with your phone… do you still need to own it to call it yours?