--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People are dreaming if they think they…" description: "\"People are dreaming if they think they have rights. They've never had rights. There's no such thing.\" — George Carlin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/george-carlin-155_dream_people-are-dreaming-if-they-think-they-h_2940721.jpg" --- # People are dreaming if they think they have rights… ![“People are dreaming if they think they have rights. They've never had rights. There's no such thing.” quote by George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/george-carlin-155_dream_people-are-dreaming-if-they-think-they-h_2940721.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/george-carlin-155_dream_people-are-dreaming-if-they-think-they-h_2940721.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/george-carlin-155_dream_people-are-dreaming-if-they-think-they-h_2940721.jpg) > “People are dreaming if they think they have rights. They've never had rights. There's no such thing.” [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rights are not inherent; they are constructed and can be denied. **In simple terms:** Rights are social constructs. Key Takeaway Question assumed freedoms. Themes rights society power Mood skeptical provocative Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - activism - legal reform Key Concepts political theory critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - Who defines your rights? - How can you protect them? A Different Perspective Rights can be manipulated by power. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreaming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreaming/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think people are dreaming big because they have the tools to dream big. 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Then I think: this is a dream, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/and-so-as-i-sleep-some-dream-beguiles-me-and-suddenly-i-know-i-am/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [And i start sleeping and dreaming and i think i'll dream about you, all through the night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/and-i-start-sleeping-and-dreaming-and-i-think-i-ll-dream-about-you/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [Feminism means to me aquality, actually. Women having equal rights to every thing the male population have in all aspects. Whether that's socially, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-bowman/feminism-means-to-me-aquality-actually-women-having-equal-rights-to/) [Edith Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-bowman/) > [We can suspend disbelief about Harry Potter, and we do the same thing with God, and we do the same thing with human rights,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/we-can-suspend-disbelief-about-harry-potter-and-we-do-the-same-thing/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [The only way to do the human rights thing is to do the right thing medically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/the-only-way-to-do-the-human-rights-thing-is-to-do-the-right-thing/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [Ultimately property rights and personal rights are the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/ultimately-property-rights-and-personal-rights-are-the-same-thing/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [“Whatever you do, never stop dreaming. Think it over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-gordon/whatever-you-do-never-stop-dreaming-think-it-over/) [Ruth Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-gordon/) > [Dreaming is to think by moonlight by the light of an inner moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/dreaming-is-to-think-by-moonlight-by-the-light-of-an-inner-moon/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [Don't be so familiar and so much into the details. Keep people dreaming. Close the window, and make them wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/don-t-be-so-familiar-and-so-much-into-the-details-keep-people/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [We should never discourage young people from dreaming dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/we-should-never-discourage-young-people-from-dreaming-dreams/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [The people who dream are very often the people who see, and dreaming and seeing precede doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-elizabeth-sangster/the-people-who-dream-are-very-often-the-people-who-see-and-dreaming/) [Margaret Elizabeth Sangster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-elizabeth-sangster/) > [I know of very few people who are dreaming of a world for their grandchildren.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-know-of-very-few-people-who-are-dreaming-of-a-world-for-their/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More by George Carlin > [I never go anywhere or do anything that transports me outside the boundaries of my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-never-go-anywhere-or-do-anything-that-transports-me-outside-the/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Comedy, although it is not one of the fine arts - it's a vulgar art, it's one of the people's arts, it's the spoken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/comedy-although-it-is-not-one-of-the-fine-arts-it-s-a-vulgar-art-it-s/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. ... These two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-m-completely-in-favor-of-the-separation-of-church-and-state-these/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY. Not true. Today is another day. We have no idea what tomorrow is going to be. It might turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/tomorrow-is-another-day-not-true-today-is-another-day-we-have-no-idea/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [I was a loner as a child. I had an imaginary friend - I didn't bother with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-was-a-loner-as-a-child-i-had-an-imaginary-friend-i-didn-t-bother/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Kilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/kilometers-are-shorter-than-miles-save-gas-take-your-next-trip-in/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“If you guys want to get a MOM tattoo and save a little money, just get two letters done. Get about a one-inch capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/if-you-guys-want-to-get-a-mom-tattoo-and-save-a-little-money-just-get/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-ve-built-up-so-much-speed-that-you-hit-70-after-that-it-s-a-day/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [It ended suddenly for Brenda, more slowly for me. My runs began getting shorter and less pleasurable. I'd feel bad after only one day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/it-ended-suddenly-for-brenda-more-slowly-for-me-my-runs-began-getting/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Is there another word for synonym?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/is-there-another-word-for-synonym/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [The whole idea of the pursuit of goods and possessions has completely corrupted the human experience, along with religion, which I think limits the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-whole-idea-of-the-pursuit-of-goods-and-possessions-has-completely/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [These days many politicians are demanding change. Just like homeless people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/these-days-many-politicians-are-demanding-change-just-like-homeless/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [You know the good part about all those executions in Texas? Fewer Texans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-know-the-good-part-about-all-those-executions-in-texas-fewer/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [What was the best thing before sliced bread?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/what-was-the-best-thing-before-sliced-bread/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) [Explore all 1,098 George Carlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## More Dream quotes > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People are dreaming if they think they have rights. They've never had rights. 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