You'll own nothing and be happy

I was discussing the state of the world with a friend and remembered that the World Economic Forum predicted that by 2030, we will own nothing and be happy about it. How realistic is this prediction, and what would that scenario look like? Also, why do they believe we will be happy owning nothing?

Seriously. I think it angers me because it can be used to critique both anticonsumer practices in form of endless subscriptions and socially shared things (which are good for anticonsumption movement). I hear this from reactionists and conservatives a lot and I think they are ruining its meaning.

To adress what I mean by stupidness of this argument:

• I go to public swimming pool instead of building one myself. You will own nothing and be happy.

• Then I jump to public jaccuzi instead of buying my own. You will own nothing and be happy.

• I use taxis since 70s. You will own nothing and be happy.

• I go to laundromat because I don't need a whole machine for one person. You will own nothing and be happy.

• I read books at library because I prefer to lend them and save money. You will own nothing and be happy.

etc.

I've seen a lot of discussions and concerns about the phrase "You will own nothing and be happy." Some people seem to associate it with the World Economic Forum (WEF) and ideas about a future where private ownership disappears. Others view it as a conspiracy theory or a misinterpretation of economic trends like the sharing economy (e.g., renting instead of owning).

I’m curious:

• Where did this phrase originate, and what was its intended meaning?

• Why do some people see it as a threat or dystopian future?

• Are there legitimate reasons to be concerned, or is it overblown?

I’d love to hear different perspectives on this!