Civil rights Quote by Charles Stross
““...A vision from a universe where the Equal Rights Amendment--with its redefinition of personhood--is rejected by the house of deputies: A universe where to die is to become property and to be created outwith a gift of parental DNA is to be doomed to slavery.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Risen Empire, 2003
The quote imagines a dystopia where redefining personhood excludes rights, turning birth into ownership and slavery.
In simple terms: Redefining personhood can erase freedoms.
Key Takeaway
Guard against legal definitions that strip autonomy.
Themes
rights
personhood
slavery
government
ethics
Mood
cautionary
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
dystopian
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- legislative drafting
- human rights advocacy
- bioengineering regulation
- education on civil liberties
Key Concepts
legal theory
bioethics
political philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- What legal safeguards prevent such erosion of rights?
- How does language shape our perception of humanity?
A Different Perspective
If the law defines personhood narrowly, marginalized groups may lose protection.
![“[I]t is the greatest absurdity to suppose it in the power of one, or of any number of men, at the entering into society to renounce their essential natural rights, or the means of preserving those rights, when the grand end of civil government, from the very nature of its institution, is for the…” quote by Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/74e/samuel-adams-3491_america_i-t-is-the-greatest-absurdity-to-suppose_814662.jpg)
![“[I suspect] that in the drive toward the liberal universalist notion of human rights that characterized the last fifty or so years, there has been an accompanying oversensitivity that, in practice, keeps us atomized and more likely to be manipulated and have our rights impinged upon.” quote by Darren O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3ff/darren-o-donnell-230791_human-rights_i-suspect-that-in-the-drive-toward-the-l_606669.jpg)
