"What men value in this world is not rights but privileges"

This quote by H. L. Mencken recommends that individuals are more likely to worth opportunities than rights. This indicates that people are more likely to be encouraged by the potential for personal gain than by the desire to uphold their rights. Mencken's quote recommends that people are more likely to be driven by the potential for individual gain than by the desire to uphold their rights. This might be translated as a criticism of the way individuals prioritize their own interests over the collective great. It might also be seen as a commentary on the power dynamics of society, where those with advantage are most likely to be valued than those without. Ultimately, Mencken's quote suggests that people are more likely to prioritize their own interests over the cumulative excellent, and that privileges are most likely to be valued than rights.