https://fee.org/articles/why-your-ho...ountry-is-not/
Possessive Pronouns Aren’t Always about Possession
Possessive pronouns (like “mine” or “yours”) have two uses in English. The first is about ownership. It denotes who has property rights over what. “This is my computer.” “This is my body.” The second is about association. It denotes how people are connected to other people or things. “This is my son.” “This is my wife.”
Ownership is always also association. Owning my computer means I also have a connection to it. But association is not always ownership. I don’t own my son. I don’t own my wife.
This is an important distinction because ownership comes with a bundle of rights that mere association lacks. I can use my computer whenever I want. I have veto power over who can use my computer. I can make alterations to my computer. I can sell my computer.
Owners can also transfer some of their rights to others. A renter purchases the right to use an apartment but doesn’t get the right to sell it. They can put up pictures even if they can’t knock down walls.
You own yourself. Your body is truly yours because you can do with it as you wish as long as you don’t hurt others. You can love and trade with whom you want; saying otherwise would be a violation of your personal sovereignty.
The same can’t be said of mere association. I don’t have the right to make alterations to my son, and I can’t sell him. I can’t tell my wife whom she can associate with.
It’s important not to confuse possessive pronouns involving association with possessive pronouns involving ownership. But that confusion happens a lot when people talk about policy, especially concerning immigration and jobs.
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