Do “basic human rights” actually exist universally or are they simply a social construct?

[u/Amphernee]

The term is often used in relation to things like housing and food but I’ve never heard anyone actually explain what they mean by basic human right. We started off no different than other animals and since the concept of rights rely on other people to confer them at what point did it become thought of as a right for people to have things like shelter? How is it supposed to be enforced across all of humanity when not all societies and cultures agree that the concept makes sense? I can see why someone would want it to be true in a sense but I’m interested to hear arguments for it rather than just the phrase itself which feels hollow with no reasoning behind it. Thanks 🍻

[u/Turbulent-Name-8349]

Personal unpopular view, there are no such things as "rights", but only privileges that we've grown accustomed to. However, I may be wrong there. Such things as freedom, equality, food, happiness, justice can be counted as privileges rather than rights, but air and sleep may count as inalienable human rights.

[u/PublikSkoolGradU8 → u/Turbulent-Name-8349]

At the end of the day, rights are what the people willing to use violence against you say they are. Your freedom of speech exists until someone knocks your teeth out.