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Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Fri Jul 13, 2012 5:33 pmby Phatscotty
Before we begin, it is important to define our terms. Write a brief explanation of
what you think a right is
what you think a privilege is.
what makes them different.
No Googling!
The idea is not to write the correct answer, but to stimulate the debate from various angles.
The quoted is borrowed from another source, and I will post it later because this thread is going interactive. After we get a few posts going, we can start with a list of examples and do them one by one if enough people participate.
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Fri Jul 13, 2012 6:00 pmby saxitoxin
Phatscotty wrote: Before we begin, it is important to define our terms. Write a brief explanation of
what you think a right is
what you think a privilege is.
what makes them different.
No Googling!
The idea is not to write the correct answer, but to stimulate the debate from various angles.
The quoted is borrowed from another source, and I will post it later because this thread is going interactive. After we get a few posts going, we can start with a list of examples and do them one by one if enough people participate.
Good thread, Scott!
I will say ...
- a right exists unless taken away (life)
- a privilege exists only when given (internet access)
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sat Jul 14, 2012 5:41 pmby Phatscotty
A right is something that you do not need permission for. It is self evident
A privilege is something that you have to seek permission from someone or something with more power than yourself. It has to be granted
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sat Jul 14, 2012 5:47 pmby jonesthecurl
So you never need to fight for your rights?
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sat Jul 14, 2012 7:04 pmby vodean
jonesthecurl wrote:So you never need to fight for your rights?
sometimes you have to fight for your given right to life. yes. they are not mutually exclusive. people can take them away.
I think a right is something that should be universal, such as access to food, water, etc. rights are required for well-being.
a privilege is thus something that not everyone should have, or is unnecessary. privileges improve well-being but are not required.
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sat Jul 14, 2012 9:15 pmby patches70
Is there a difference between natural rights and legal rights?
As to privilege, just looking at the root word from Latin tells you all you need to know about privilege- Private Law or Individual Law......
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sat Jul 14, 2012 9:29 pmby NoSurvivors
As a human, you have no "right", in my opinion. Clean water (considered a "right" in Canada, I believe) is NOT a right, but a privilege. If not for government, there would be no so called rights. You would have to fend for youurself. "You have a right to remain silent. Can they make you speak? NO! I could kill a man, and who would stop me? No one. I would go to jail, becasue of the rules set in place by society. Society judges what is right and what is wrong. If the majority of people decided that it was okay to eat other humans, then it would be okay to heat humans. If society decided that we should make toasters illegal, it would happen. It is all about what the majority wants. If they do not get it, then they will use force to get it. Thus, why democratic societies in the world flourish with happy people. Hard working people? No. But happy people, yes.
Rights? Bullshit. You have the "right" to kiss my ass..
-NoS
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sat Jul 14, 2012 9:33 pmby Iron Butterfly
A right is what my GPS tells me to take when obviously it is a dead end.
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sat Jul 14, 2012 9:38 pmby Phatscotty
Is drinking alcohol a right or a privilege?
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sat Jul 14, 2012 10:29 pmby Timminz
Phatscotty wrote:Is drinking alcohol a right or a privilege?
Yes.
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sat Jul 14, 2012 10:29 pmby /
For me, the two aren't really directly correlated.
A right is a rule prescribed in one’s favor; I take this word “right” to be identical to the word “right” meaning “correct”. For example if I go on a tour of an orchard and the sign says “You may take one apple”, it is my “right” to do so as it is within the rules set.
A privilege, to me, means a gift, an excess that is given to make things better on a whim. For example if on that same tour I ask if I can take an extra apple for later, and the owners agree, that is a privilege, it doesn’t mean I or anyone else can take two from now on, it simply is a kindness.
Posted:
Sat Jul 14, 2012 10:41 pmby 2dimes
I believe rights are something everyone should have regardless of financial standing or who's family they are part of. Example access to clean community water. I know that right doesn't exist in some places.
A privilege is something that must be earned and can be revoked. Example a drivers license.
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:46 amby Woodruff
Phatscotty wrote:A right is something that you do not need permission for. It is self evident
A privilege is something that you have to seek permission from someone or something with more power than yourself. It has to be granted
So you don't have a right to life?
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:22 amby jonesthecurl
Woodruff wrote:Phatscotty wrote:A right is something that you do not need permission for. It is self evident
A privilege is something that you have to seek permission from someone or something with more power than yourself. It has to be granted
So you don't have a right to life?
Ah, yes, the 'unalienable rights.' Each year someone quotes that magnificent poetry. Life? What 'right' to life has a man who is drowning in the Pacific? The ocean will not hearken to his cries. What 'right' to life has a man who must die if he is to save his children? If he chooses to save his own life, does he do so as a matter of 'right'? If two men are starving and cannibalism is the only alternative to death, which man's right is 'unalienable'? And is it 'right'?
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:27 amby Johnny Rockets
You should not have the right to breed like a fucking rabbit, but apparently you do.
JRock
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:38 amby AAFitz
Phatscotty wrote:A right is something that you do not need permission for. It is self evident
A privilege is something that you have to seek permission from someone or something with more power than yourself. It has to be granted
Evident to which self?
Do not such rights, become more evident throughout time?
Also, you suggest a right is simply dictated by the power of those who control them. I argue, once again, you have no idea what it is to be an American, by even being able to phrase that definition, as such.
Re:
Posted:
Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:40 amby AAFitz
2dimes wrote:I believe rights are something everyone should have regardless of financial standing or who's family they are part of. Example access to clean community water. I know that right doesn't exist in some places.
A privilege is something that must be earned and can be revoked. Example a drivers license.
A drivers license is definitely a privilege while you could certainly argue that access to the process of attaining it, would be a right.
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sun Jul 15, 2012 10:23 amby Phatscotty
AAFitz wrote:Phatscotty wrote:A right is something that you do not need permission for. It is self evident
A privilege is something that you have to seek permission from someone or something with more power than yourself. It has to be granted
Evident to which self?
Do not such rights, become more evident throughout time?
Also, you suggest a right is simply dictated by the power of those who control them. I argue, once again, you have no idea what it is to be an American, by even being able to phrase that definition, as such.
I argue, and repeat, a right is something you do not need permission for. Your suggestion that "a right is dictated by the power of those who control them" sounds a lot like what I and other people have suggested is a privilege.
snarky attacks on patriotism withheld
Re: Re:
Posted:
Sun Jul 15, 2012 11:16 amby Phatscotty
AAFitz wrote:2dimes wrote:I believe rights are something everyone should have regardless of financial standing or who's family they are part of. Example access to clean community water. I know that right doesn't exist in some places.
A privilege is something that must be earned and can be revoked. Example a drivers license.
A drivers license is definitely a privilege while you could certainly argue that access to the process of attaining it, would be a right.
Driving is A PRIVILEGE, regulated by State laws and regulations.
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sun Jul 15, 2012 11:27 amby Phatscotty
Is it a Right or a Privilege to pursue any lawful trade?
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:34 pmby BigBallinStalin
Well, if you support property rights, and since property rights gives one the right to transfer ownership to another, then it's a right to pursue any trade. The question turns to what one can own, and how much of the property rights can they exercise (use rights, ownership rights, sale rights, etc.).
Re: Re:
Posted:
Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:05 pmby john9blue
Phatscotty wrote:AAFitz wrote:A drivers license is definitely a privilege while you could certainly argue that access to the process of attaining it, would be a right.
Driving is A PRIVILEGE, regulated by State laws and regulations.
does one have a right to invent, and to use their inventions, provided that they don't commit any crimes? because that's what the first automakers did.
if so, then when did driving change from a right to a privilege? when the government started regulating it?
Re: Re:
Posted:
Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:14 pmby Phatscotty
john9blue wrote:Phatscotty wrote:AAFitz wrote:A drivers license is definitely a privilege while you could certainly argue that access to the process of attaining it, would be a right.
Driving is A PRIVILEGE, regulated by State laws and regulations.
does one have a right to invent, and to use their inventions, provided that they don't commit any crimes? because that's what the first automakers did.
if so, then when did driving change from a right to a privilege? when the government started regulating it?
Interesting. I have always wondered about just how much technology is responsible for our loss of freedom and liberty.
I suppose it became a privilege once people started being run over and accidents started to mount as more and more people acquired automobiles, and CERTAINLY once the government took over building the roads that we drive on.
Re: Re:
Posted:
Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:22 pmby john9blue
Phatscotty wrote:john9blue wrote:Phatscotty wrote:AAFitz wrote:A drivers license is definitely a privilege while you could certainly argue that access to the process of attaining it, would be a right.
Driving is A PRIVILEGE, regulated by State laws and regulations.
does one have a right to invent, and to use their inventions, provided that they don't commit any crimes? because that's what the first automakers did.
if so, then when did driving change from a right to a privilege? when the government started regulating it?
Interesting. I have always wondered about just how much technology is responsible for our loss of freedom and liberty.
I suppose it became a privilege once people started being run over and accidents started to mount as more and more people acquired automobiles, and CERTAINLY once the government took over building the roads that we drive on.
well then driving on public roads maintained by the USG is a privilege given to us by them
but to say "driving is a privilege" implies that the use of a car itself is a bad thing without the consent of the USG
i'm not comfortable with that terminology and i hate the morons who recite "driving is a privilege, not a right" like it's a religious creed
Re: Rights v Privileges
Posted:
Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:25 pmby Phatscotty
I would say driving a car without permission by the government could be a bad thing, since the government requires you to pass a basic training test and a written test on knowledge as well. And if you are caught driving 200mph, they will take away your privilege.