Private Property

In a universe with highly automated production of custom goods, intellectual property is the only property that truly matters.

Anyone with a little money can obtain the appearance of wealth: a fancy house, a luxury car, even a spaceship. But almost no one outside the ultra-rich actually owns those things outright.

Material goods usually come with strings attached: surveillance, data gathering, behavioral restrictions, morality clauses, usage conditions, and repossession rights. Ownership becomes less about possession and more about license, compliance, and enforceable access.