Rebel Without a Clue (an allegory) Once upon a time there was a little boy named Bobby. One day, Bobby asked if he could go play outside. "Sure," said Mum. "Just make sure you don't go too far away." "How far is too far?" asked Bobby. "You can go to the end of our road, but no further," said Mum. 10 minutes later, Mum went outside to check on Bobby. He was nowhere in sight! She ran into the next road. There he was! "Bobby! I told you to stay in our road! What are you doing over here?" "Mum, I don't understand. Why can't I play outside of our road?" "Well, for a number of reasons. Firstly, we live on a side street with very little traffic. Going out onto the main road would be more dangerous as there is a lot of traffic there. Secondly, I like to be able to see you from the window, in case you hurt yourself. I can't do that if you're on the main road. Lastly, I want you to be close by so that if I need to come and call you in, you can hear me straight away. I don't want to be chasing all over the place looking for you. Do you understand?" "Yes Mum, I get it. But Mum, I could wear a big protective suit, and then the traffic couldn't hurt me. How about it?" "No Bobby, because what about my other two reasons." "But Mum, I can just wear armour!" "No Bobby, what about the other reasons?" "The armour will stop me getting knocked down!" "Bobby, did you listen to my other reasons?" "I don't see why I should not play out just because of some drivers who don't look where they're going!" "You weren't listening, were you?" Mum repeated the reasons to Bobby again. This time he seemed to understand a little better. Or so she thought. "So... can I play out of our road if I leave you a note saying where I've gone?" "No." "Why not?" "How would that help with any of the three reasons I gave you?" "Well... you would know where I was." "OK, so how would that help?" "Err... OK well how about if I leave my socks in our road and play over there?" "What?!" "Well, my socks are part of me, so if I leave them here, then I'm still here, aren't I?" "No. Your clothing is not part of you. Even if it's so in need of a wash that it stands up on its own." "OK, well how about a fingernail clipping then?" "Bobby..." "Come on, it's part of me! And if part of me is in my road, then I'm in my road, right?" "No. Because it's detached from you." "What?! That wasn't in your list! What else isn't in there?" "Bobby... I just asked you to follow a simple rule, and I explained why. Please tell me what is unclear." "It's all becoming clear, Mum! You're just out to restrict my playing area, aren't you? Admit it! Today our road - tomorrow you'll confine me to the house!" "No." "Oh yes, you can deny it if you like! I know the truth!" "Good for you. Now take your shoes off, because you've been arguing with me for so long that it's bedtime." "WHAT?! Oh my god, you're SOOOO unfair! I might as well be DEAD!" The moral of the story is... Well, I guess you can work that out for yourself ;-)