Monday, June 3, 2013
Mo' Rights
Rights, needs, desires.
I don't think I am much of an original thinker, unprompted. I've noticed that sad fact about myself more and more lately. Mostly, I have to read or listen to what someone else thinks or says about a subject, then ponder and analyze what the writer or speaker has opined before I can even begin to wax pithy. Pithily. Even then it takes me considerable time to get wound up enough to approach a decent level of sarcasm - born of superior subject knowledge - let alone genuine righteous indignation. I suppose that makes me a counter-puncher (boxing metaphor, not one who punches counters.) However, once hit by a blow of, say, fuzzy feel-good ultra-liberalism or fantasyland conservative non-thought (metaphorically a "left" hook or a "right" cross, if you will) then, usually, I can begin to argue back. In an argument I can often come up with original ideas; in analysis I can see the flaws - just not in an unstimulated (uninflamed?) ungoaded condition, like when I am staring at a blank sheet of paper and feeling mildly indignant in a general but unfocused way. This is not to say I have writer's block - lord knows I can write page after page of illogical and heavily biased gibberish at the drop of a hat - but I need to have my values and life experiences challenged in order to write with passion.
Incidentally, "unstimulated," "uninflamed" and "ungoaded" all have red lines under them. What kind of idiot twats do they hire to author these misbegotten spellcheckers? Teenaged future unemployable summer interns trying to work off a few dollars of their hopeless student loans, useless English-majors all, working in a gaga library-science environment in which they will never see actual employment? I suppose the British version will at least leave "twats" unredlined. (Guess whether or not "unredlined" is redlined.) Ah, well.
Rights, needs, desires.
A need is something essential that you have had since birth. Even at birth, someone provided you these needs, else you would be dead now instead of reading this. Needs are not rights. Needs are what the U.N. High Commissioner on Human Rights CALLS rights.
A desire? That's something you want to have. Like an American teenager without the latest video game or vulgar rap cassette. Like a Darfurian child who desires to live in Beverly Hills. Desires are things you want that I don't care about. Nobody else does either, except maybe your mommy if today is your birthday and you are 7 years old. Only YOU care about your desires. A plan and hard work are needed in order for you to realize your desires. Hence, few will be realized.
A right is an entitlement which is guaranteed to you by an entity which has the power to give and defend that thing for you. Often, humans do not have a "right" to shelter and clean drinking water.
If only you had the time (and a desire) to read more, I had so much more to say about this subject.
---------
Photo credit:
Coffee With Jesus
(RadioFreeBabylon.com)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
You seemed to have no trouble at all in putting this together. Nothing, it appears, hindered your progress! Well done!
ReplyDeleteI have a few desires...they are mine, so I don't share what they are with many, if any. My needs are as you say...I need water, food and shelter. Rights? Well, I'm always right! ;)
Desires are important.
DeleteAmerican imperialism means most spellcheckers are US spelling, like it or not!
ReplyDeleteNeeds are not rights but needs, right!
Desires are what you want, not rights, maybe.
You need to write more, that's what I want.
At least the US government feels the desire and the need to read everything published at the internet.
ReplyDeleteNow, Rob...
DeleteAmerican imperialism forces UK papers to use Yankee spelling.
ReplyDeleteSadly the half trained cheap interns (another Yank word) that replace the tabloid hacks cannot tell the difference between US spelling and UK spelling. Just ask the DM.
Half trained (sic) is a Yanked word too?
ReplyDeleteInterns? From 16th century French.
Aha! You mean "cheap". From 15th century Old English.
How come my fine American words are all underlined in red?
DM? Daily Mail? Is that the same as the Mail Online? A fine source for accurate information and fine civil comments. :)