[coheeman]

>However, with Netflix, if you do have disposable income again in the future, then you can restore you position exactly. But if you had to sell your DVD collection due to a financial emergency, the cost of replacing it is greater.

You could also never sever your Netflix subscription and still lose access to your favorite movie because their licensing agreement ran out.

Even in your example, ownership wins out because you have the -option- to sell your residual assets in a financial emergency. There's nothing you can resell with your Netflix subscription money since you're just paying for the temporary privilege to watch a movie you don't own that might not be there tomorrow.