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Single Idea 23751

[filed under theme 25. Social Practice / C. Rights / 1. Basis of Rights ]

Full Idea

Rights are always asserted in a tone of contention; and when this tone is adopted, it must rely upon force in the background, or else it will be laughed at.

Gist of Idea

Rights are asserted contentiously, and need the backing of force

Source

Simone Weil (Human Personality [1943], p.81)

Book Ref

Weil,Simone: 'An Anthology' [Penguin 1986], p.81

A Reaction

This is the sort of observation which leads on to Foucault's account of all-pervasive power. Her observation may not be so sinister. It is obvious that introductions of new rights go against the grain of a conservative society - and so need a push.

Related Idea

Idea 23761 Justice (concerning harm) is distinct from rights (concerning inequality) [Weil]

The 18 ideas from 'Human Personality'

23747 What is sacred is not a person, but the whole physical human being [Weil]
23748 The sacred in every human is their expectation of good rather than evil [Weil]
23749 The problem of the collective is not suppression of persons, but persons erasing themselves [Weil]
23750 It is not more money which the wretched members of society need [Weil]
23751 Rights are asserted contentiously, and need the backing of force [Weil]
23752 Giving centrality to rights stifles all impulses of charity [Weil]
23753 People absurdly claim an equal share of things which are essentially privileged [Weil]
23754 The only choice is between supernatural good, or evil [Weil]
23755 Genius and love of truth are always accompanied by great humility [Weil]
23756 The mind is imprisoned and limited by language, restricting our awareness of wider thoughts [Weil]
23758 Beauty is an attractive mystery, leaving nothing to be desired [Weil]
23757 The spirit of justice needs the full attention of truth, and that attention is love [Weil]
23761 Justice (concerning harm) is distinct from rights (concerning inequality) [Weil]
23760 All we need are the unity of justice, truth and beauty [Weil]
23759 Everything which originates in love is beautiful [Weil]
23762 Evil is transmitted by comforts and pleasures, but mostly by doing harm to people [Weil]
23764 The only thing in society worse than crime is repressive justice [Weil]
23763 Punishment aims at the good for men who don't desire it [Weil]