You make me think of the Bette Midler song, which includes the lines:

You don't own me
Don't try to change me in anyway
You don't own me
Don't tie me down, cos I'll never stay

I don't tell you what to say
I don't tell you what to do
So just let me be myself
That's all I ask of you

Even if someone pays my salary, they don't own me, any more than I own the cab driver who takes me from the station to the meeting, or the plumber who unblocks my drain. It's payment due for services rendered. The employment contract is a bit like an indefinite SLA, in a way. In the UK, employment law is somewhat more in favour of the employee than seems to be the case elsewhere - especially the US, from what I can gather.

That said, just this very day I was thinking that, in all sincerity, my raison d'etre is to serve people. I never feel more content, more fulfilled than when I am allowed to make someone's life (or even just immediate circumstances) better. I can't remember who it was (a great American poet, I seem to recall) who said "We are put here to help others. I'm not sure what the others are here for."

So, let the eye-rollers roll their cynical eyes. You don't own me, but I choose to serve.

How d'you like them apples?