Human beings, in all our complex individuality, tend to ascribe greater worth to the objects within our possession compared to those owned by others. This pattern of thought prompts an intriguing question – could the sense of ownership be categorized as an emotion? Commonly, we correlate emotions with feelings such as joy, jealousy, or affection. Yet, if we simplify emotions to their biological basis – the release of neurotransmitters – it becomes plausible that the sensation of ownership could be considered an emotional response. It could even be hypothesized as potentially addictive, given the satisfaction and security ownership often provides.

This psychological phenomenon is not limited to our physical possessions. We often overlook the clutter in our own lives, while readily recognizing it in others’. We regard our belongings as carefully chosen and meaningful, whereas we see others’ as a random accumulation of items. This bias is not just an interesting quirk of human behavior, but it may also influence our interactions, decisions, and overall worldview.

This concept extends beyond material possessions into the realm of intellectual property – our ideas. There’s an undeniable bias that we all display towards our own thoughts. We often find them more appealing, more credible, and more valuable, purely because they are products of our own cognition. Our subconscious mind and internal narrative play significant roles in reinforcing our ideas, potentially skewing our perception towards overvaluing them. But are we conscious of this bias? And more importantly, how does it affect our interactions and decision-making?

Moving a step further, this line of thought leads us to question whether we also believe our personal beliefs to hold more value than those of others. In essence, do we inherently consider our personal philosophies and values to be superior merely because they are ours?

It appears that humans have a natural predisposition to hold on tightly to what they have gained. This applies not just to material possessions, but also to thoughts, beliefs, and potentially even emotions. Are we simply creatures of habit, resistant to change, or does this behavior hint at deeper psychological mechanisms?