Have you ever observed in yourself, how differently you may treat other people’s property than your own?

Rental car companies can vouch for this and will always tell you that their customers respect their own car much more that a rented one.

For many of us there seems to be a disconnect between our own property and that of others, whether it belongs to our employer, public or privately owned, which often results in damage, misuse or sometimes just plain abuse.

Perhaps we have all felt the urge to toss our crashed work computer out the window or kick the car when we discover it has a flat tyre?

Obviously unresolved anger can influence our behaviour and needs to be addressed, but more often than not, certainly in the case of minor infractions, it is once again the sense of egoic separateness that brings about the disrespect and harm.

Tools, equipment, materials, and assets, whether they belong to us or others, are there to serve a specific purpose and need to be respected.

In some cultures, maintenance is not considered to be important and regarded as a financial or production burden and so the machinery is run until it breaks down, causing stoppages, additional expenses and production losses.

Think back to times of old (and current in some developing countries), when the soils of our fields were turned with an ox and plough; would we ever consider not feeding the 'beast of burden'?

Then why do we now hear of so many instances of rage against the machines that provide us with a livelihood and make our day infinitely easier?

Once again the idea of separateness arises.

The sense of separateness between us and the equipment we use, gives rise to abuse, neglect and lack of caring.