RE: Wants vs Needs
Indeed it is not easy! Love jumping in on an interesting conversation such as this. The dialogue is its own reward!
I like your "granted rights" as being linked to the entitlement mentality. That just because you have a right to something does not obligate anyone else to give it to you.
Also interesting point of view - that there are no rights. I still want to say there have to be some inherent and inalienable rights. For instance, everyone has the right to be free from slavery. But then prison is a form of slavery if you squint hard enough... so maybe you're correct in that there are truly no rights! I will have to think on that more.
For what it's worth, the UN has "decreed" or whatever that there are a certain number of fundamental human rights.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights
In case you're in the mood for some light reading XD
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a historic document that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at its third session on 10 December 1948 as Resolution 217 at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, France. Of the then 58 members of the United Nations, 48 voted in favor, none against, eight abstained, and two did not vote.
The Declaration consists of 30 articles affirming an individual's rights which, although not legally binding in themselves, have been elaborated in subsequent international treaties, economic transfers, regional human rights instruments, national constitutions, and other laws. The Declaration was the first step in the process of formulating the International Bill of Human Rights, which was completed in 1966, and came into force in 1976, after a sufficient number of countries had ratified them.
Hah! Didn't know this was here!
I'm glad to get you thinking @dollarsandsense. Not enough people do that nowdays!! Just to reiterate, I'm not stating I'm right, but I do think there may be merit in that ideology. Would really like to hear your ideas once you've pondered for a while.
I have heard that the UN have their 'bill of human rights'. Not so much because I sought it out, but more so because I have heard of it from other teachers - humanities and history teachers mainly.
I'll follow your link and have a bit of a read very soon.