The Blog

#264: We Too Easily Forget That Obligations Earn Rights

On the fourteenth of July, every year, the French celebrate the storming of the Bastille, the famous fortress-prison. Is it still worth celebrating?

Yes, because it gave us “liberty, equality and fraternity.”

Basically, liberty is freedom to do anything as long as it doesn’t hurt others. If we all respect this right, we will all be safe. And if we ignore this right, then equality kicks in. Equality means that justice has no favorites. Another right.

Here’s the problem one. Fraternity or brotherhood. This is an obligation, not a right. You cannot demand it. You must give it. The love in “love your neighbor” is a verb.

Maybe the original order (liberty, equality, fraternity) is wrong. It should be “love your neighbor as your equal so that you are free to be safe.”

We too easily forget that obligations earn rights.


Welcome to my side of the nonsense divide.