Concept of freedom Essay Example for Free

Concept of freedom Essay 1. Is it possible to measure if anyone is free to any degree? Can freedom be proven? Freedom can hardly be measure as freedom is a controversial abstract concept which people have different interpretations over it. We do not have an absolute definition over the term freedom and thereby there is no absolute operationalization used to measure freedom up to these days. Still, it is commonly agreed by the sociologists that freedom is bounded by many social forces including culture, social institutions, social positions and the like; and under all these social forces, the control over choices and directions that one can enjoy is freedom. By this commonly agreed definition, it is obviously that there is no absolute freedom because of the social constraints; whats more, the definition of freedom is always changing according to the unceasing change of social forces. Therefore, we can never measure the extremity of freedom. Be that as it may, freedom can still be proved and measured in relative terms by comparing the indicators of political rights, economic rights, and civil liberties of different societies as they shows the controls over choices and directions that one can have under social constraints. The more control one has, the more freedom one gets in general. Lets take China and Hong Kong as example. China has a relatively stricter norm in terms of freedom of speech when comparing to Hong Kong, hence we can say that people in China have less freedom of expression compared to those in Hong Kong. By comparison using different indicators, we may measure the relative freedom of different societies. 2. Do you agree that free thought is necessary for free action? I absolutely agree with such saying. Our actions are bounded by social positions and social institutions that have long been constructed no matter whether such practices are genuine or not. These social forces have been parts of the social construction of reality which shape our thinking from the day we are born and control the way we act and live. However, such socially constructed reality is not always legitimate as it seems and in occasions it limits the actions that we may enjoy. Free thoughts in such sense allow critical evaluation over the existing socially constructed reality and may bring changes to the social institutions, structures or positions to allow freer action that people previously cannot enjoy. However, we should also noted that sometimes though social forces have already been mended because of new ideas generated through free thoughts of some people, actions are still being limited because of the deeply rooted old belief in society as a whole and it is always hard for people to have free thoughts. For instance, though the caste system has been legally abolished since 1950, the lower class especially the Dalit people are still seriously discriminated against by the other classes of the society and their actions, such as receiving education and having political rights, are greatly constrained because the thoughts of people in general are still controlled by old social position system that Dalit are outcasts and thus fail to think freely. 3. How would you define freedom? Is it different from this chapters definition? I totally agree with the definition of this chapter that freedom, which refers to the ability to control oneself, ones thinking and ones actions, are restrained by external factors mainly the society and different social forces. Rather than being imprisoned by the existing social constructed reality, free thoughts and free actions are what we should practice. Thinking out of the box and acting according to ones own thought is the only way to truly take control of our lives. 4. Based on the piece by Weber, come up and illustrate with your own examples instances of traditional, charismatic, and rational-legal authority that your are familiar with. Explain why you classify these instances the way you do. Traditional authority: In some indigenous communities which still have a extended family structure such as the communities in walled villages of Hong Kong, the first born male child enjoy the privilege of inheritance. He is also the authority figure of the community. It is legitimated by the sanctity of tradition handed down from the past and is through heredity under patriarchy system. Charismatic authority: Mother Teresa, a very well-respected Catholic religious figure who is regarded as one of the real servants of God because of her morality and contribution to charity in the third world countries. Her exemplary character, faith and spirit inspire Catholics around the world to live truly as a Catholic following Gods will. Her heroism of ministering the poor and needies of the third world countries impresses Catholics and greatly influence their attitudes. Rational-legal authority: Any bureaucratic officials or political leaders. Their authorities are empowered by legal rationality, legal legitimacy and bureaucracy. They implement policies without any interference of people but based on law with legitimacy to govern people.

The Theory Of Substance Dualism

The Theory Of Substance Dualism An argument has been made against Descartes interactive substance dualism theory that will be analyzed and evaluated in this paper. The Christian apologist J.P. Moreland argued in an online video that goes as such: If interactive substance dualism is true, a non-physical substance could have an effect on a physical substance. It is metaphysically impossible that a non-physical substance could have an effect on a physical substance. Interactive substance dualism is false. (Moreland J. P., 2009) This paper will set forth to point out that this argument against Descartes interactive substance dualism theory, while being valid in nature, is unsound because its second premise is false. With the help of modern science; this paper will argue that it is indeed metaphysically possible for a non-physical substance to have an effect on a physical substance. Before we can appropriately analyze and evaluate the argument, some terms must be defined first so that we may understand how this paper will defend interactive substance dualism. The first step when evaluating an argument is to look at the logic of the argument. According to Bruce Miller of the University of Michigan an argument is logically sound only if the premises were true, this fact would constitute good grounds for accepting the conclusion as true (Miller, 2000). The current argument against Descartes appears to follow logical correctness which leads to the next idea. Is the argument a deductively valid one? Miller also states that an argument form is deductively valid if and only if it is impossible that its conclusion is false given its premises are true. (Miller, 2000) If we were to assume that the premises of the argument in question were true then we would also be drawn to the same conclusion found in the argument. The second premise of the argument states that the first is untrue and therefor the conclusion is true. If the second premise were in fact true, then one could safely claim that interactive substance dualism is indeed false. This flow of sound logic structures and frames this as a deductively valid argument, but is it deductively sound? Even though an argument can be structured logically and found to be deductively valid; that may not always make the argument sound. A sound argument can be summed up as an argument that is based on truths. If a conclusion or argument is drawn from false premises then the argument is considered unsound. For instance, if I were to say that all X are Y and all Y are Z, then I could safely conclude that all X are Z. Yet using a qualifier such as all or every can be tricky, because if just one Y is not Z, then not all Xs could be Zs making the statement deductively unsound. So now that we understand what deductively sound and unsound is, let us apply it to the argument at hand. To do this we will evaluate the premises and decide whether they are true or false. The first premise of the argument at hand is a reiteration of Descartes interactive substance dualism theory that a non-physical substance could have an effect on a physical substance. Substance dualism generally holds that the body is a physical object having physical properties and that the mind is a mental substance containing mental properties irreducible to the physical. (Moreland Craig, 2003) When one experiences pain for example, the body may incur certain electrical and chemical stimulus (physical properties), which results in the self or mind consciously experiencing the felt quality and awareness of the pain (mental property). Descartes argues within substance dualism that the mind and brain closely interact with each other, though they are different substances with differing properties. This is considered to be Descartes main point in the interactive substance dualism theory and this premise will be considered true. The second premise is where this paper focuses because the argument claims that it is metaphysically impossible that a non-physical substance could have an effect on a physical substance. This premise is false because modern science has shown the effects a mind has over a body and vice versa. It appears fairly obvious to most that physical properties do not have the same features as mental properties. For example, we are unable to apply physical qualities like mass and spatial dimensions to mental events such as thoughts, feelings of pleasure and sensory experiences. (Moreland Craig, 2003) As philosopher Keith Maslin summarizes, physical occurrences do not just appear to be different from consciousness; they are utterly different, so utterly different in fact, that it is inconceivable how the physical could produce the mental. (Maslin, 2001) Yet in a published journal we find that Bruce Hinrichs pointed out that when a person reads a sentence, hears a speech, experiences an emotion, or thinks a thought, a cluster or network of brain cells fires in a certain pattern with particular intensity and timing. (Hinrichs, 2001) Similarly, it has been observed that when a part of ones brain is touched with an electrode, it may cause a mental experience such as a memory to occur. (Moreland Craig, 2003) This is evidence in itself that mental states (the mind) can be reduced to physical states (firing of electrodes/electricity); but this only demonstrates so much. While the mind is partly connected to the body, they are not identical. Therefore, the distinctiveness of mental and physical properties and states argues favorably of substance dualism; and the casual connection the mind and body share is evidence supporting Descartes interactive substance dualism theory. The existence of secondary qualities also argues favorably for interactive substance dualism. Secondary qualities are said to consist of properties like color, taste, sounds, smells and textures, whereas primary qualities are properties that characterize matter such as weight, shape, size, solidity, and motion. (Moreland Craig, 2003) Frank Jackson explains that a strictly physical and material world would arguably force us to deny it: We sense the world as made up of coloured, materially continuous, macroscopic, stable objects; Science and, in particular, Physics, tells us that the material world is constituted of clouds of minute, colourless, highly-mobile particlesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Science forces us to acknowledge that physical or material things are not colouredà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This will enable us to conclude that sense-data are all mental, for they are coloured. (Jackson, 1977) Effort should be made to at least acknowledge the criticisms of interactive substance dualism and potentially defend against them. Some have pointed out a problem of interaction when it comes to substance dualism. This may be the leading criticism against Descartes theory. How can the soul, lacking all physical dimensions, possibly affect, and be affected by, the extended body? (Maslin, 2001) It does not appear that we reasonably explain how each separate substance could interact with the other. This argument though appears to be based on an appeal to our ignorance. It assumes that if we do not understand how X causes Z that it is not reasonable to believe the two can interact. Craig and Moreland wrote that a tack can be moved by a magnetic field, and gravity acts on a planet millions of miles away. (Moreland Craig, 2003) The magnetic fields and gravitational forces have very different properties to the solid and spatially located entities they affect, and while we may not fully und erstand how such an interaction occurs, it nevertheless does just as we recognize the interaction between mind and body. An argument was made against Descartes interactive substance dualism theory that will be analyzed and evaluated in this paper. The paper set forth to point out that this argument against Descartes interactive substance dualism theory, while being valid in nature, is unsound because its second premise is false. We discussed that the argument, while logically framed and deductively valid, was inevitably false because of its second premise. The paper presented several arguments in favor of substance dualism by showing the distinctiveness of mental and physical properties and states; as well as the existence of secondary qualities. The paper also examined the main criticism of interactive substance dualism and the problem of interaction between mind and body. Given the above arguments for interactive substance dualism and the successfully countered criticism, it seems clear to me that it is indeed metaphysically possible for a non-physical substance to have an effect on a physical substa nce. If this paper has performed its purpose adequetly, then you as the reader can agree that the 2nd premise of the argument against Descartes is false. If a conclusion is drawn from a false premise then the argument becomes deductively unsound and should leave the interactive substance dualism theory in a very convincing position.

Affirmative Action Is Not the Solution Essays -- Affirmative Action Es

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Affirmative action is a social policy created to promote the welfare of minorities by supporting the idea that individuals are all created equal and should not be judged by race or gender. Therefore, in situations like job and university applications, we should consider minorities to be as feasible a choice for hire as a white male candidate, taking into consideration their background. In short, it tries to give minorities that have been at a disadvantage their whole life, an opportunity to ‘equal the playing field’ by providing a broader context by which to measure an applicant or prospective employee. In the end, however, this goal is not realized. Instead, superficial ‘quotas’ are established and the discrimination that was once placed on the minorities now turns the other way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the arguments against affirmative action is that it injures white men and violates their rights. If were to take a closer look at the affirmative action laws, we can see why this would be true. For example, let’s take a hypothetical situation of two males, one white and another individual who happens to be a minority, both sending in college applications to Harvard to compete for admission. Unfortunately, the university only has one available spot and must decide between the white individual and the minority. The white male has slightly better grades and quite a few more volunteer hours, while both of them excelled in sports and completed two foreign languages. Under the current affirmative action policies, the minority would probably get the final position because of the perceived need for ethnic diversity in the college atmosphere, despite the fact that he did not have the stronger academic credentials. Would this be considered just? In this case n ot only would affirmative action be serving an injustice to the white individual, but it would also help create a loophole by indirectly establishing a legal form of discrimination.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The counterpoint to this argument is that although affirmative action creates a larger obstacle for white men to achieve, such measures are necessary in order to break the cycle of de facto employment and school discrimination. However, this does not seem to be a valid counterpoint. If we take a look at another hypothetical situation we can see why it is not ... ...† However, this argument is not compelling, as the best way to increase productivity and improve the economy is to hire on merit. Hiring based on something other than objective merit may result in economic inefficiency and a less qualified staff. If minorities have a qualified resume and are available, they will meet the criteria of the employer. Once again, it is more effective to treat the disease itself, rather than to stoop down to the same level and discriminate to treat the symptoms. In athletics, for example, in spite of past discrimination blacks have excelled, not because standards were lowered but because barriers were eliminated. Now more than ever blacks comprise the largest ethnic group in professional sports and have come to dominate some of the most lucrative sports such as football and basketball, and are now using their earned social capital to give back to their communities to help others along the way. This is a prime example of how minorities can be help ed without lowering the standard by which others are also measured by. To improve our standards as a whole, we must remove the ball and chain on minorities, rather than adding a heavier ball and chain on whites. Affirmative Action Is Not the Solution Essays -- Affirmative Action Es   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Affirmative action is a social policy created to promote the welfare of minorities by supporting the idea that individuals are all created equal and should not be judged by race or gender. Therefore, in situations like job and university applications, we should consider minorities to be as feasible a choice for hire as a white male candidate, taking into consideration their background. In short, it tries to give minorities that have been at a disadvantage their whole life, an opportunity to ‘equal the playing field’ by providing a broader context by which to measure an applicant or prospective employee. In the end, however, this goal is not realized. Instead, superficial ‘quotas’ are established and the discrimination that was once placed on the minorities now turns the other way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the arguments against affirmative action is that it injures white men and violates their rights. If were to take a closer look at the affirmative action laws, we can see why this would be true. For example, let’s take a hypothetical situation of two males, one white and another individual who happens to be a minority, both sending in college applications to Harvard to compete for admission. Unfortunately, the university only has one available spot and must decide between the white individual and the minority. The white male has slightly better grades and quite a few more volunteer hours, while both of them excelled in sports and completed two foreign languages. Under the current affirmative action policies, the minority would probably get the final position because of the perceived need for ethnic diversity in the college atmosphere, despite the fact that he did not have the stronger academic credentials. Would this be considered just? In this case n ot only would affirmative action be serving an injustice to the white individual, but it would also help create a loophole by indirectly establishing a legal form of discrimination.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The counterpoint to this argument is that although affirmative action creates a larger obstacle for white men to achieve, such measures are necessary in order to break the cycle of de facto employment and school discrimination. However, this does not seem to be a valid counterpoint. If we take a look at another hypothetical situation we can see why it is not ... ...† However, this argument is not compelling, as the best way to increase productivity and improve the economy is to hire on merit. Hiring based on something other than objective merit may result in economic inefficiency and a less qualified staff. If minorities have a qualified resume and are available, they will meet the criteria of the employer. Once again, it is more effective to treat the disease itself, rather than to stoop down to the same level and discriminate to treat the symptoms. In athletics, for example, in spite of past discrimination blacks have excelled, not because standards were lowered but because barriers were eliminated. Now more than ever blacks comprise the largest ethnic group in professional sports and have come to dominate some of the most lucrative sports such as football and basketball, and are now using their earned social capital to give back to their communities to help others along the way. This is a prime example of how minorities can be help ed without lowering the standard by which others are also measured by. To improve our standards as a whole, we must remove the ball and chain on minorities, rather than adding a heavier ball and chain on whites.

Dreams and Dream Deffered by Langston Hughes :: essays research papers

â€Å"Dreams Deferred† and â€Å"Dreams† In the poems â€Å"Dreams Deferred† and â€Å"Dreams† by Langston Hughes the author talks about how important dreams are. The author uses many different types of figurative languages such as similes and metaphors and shows how they are alike and different in many ways. In the poem â€Å"Dreams† the author writes â€Å"Hold fast to your dreams/for if dreams die †(Hughes 1-2 poem 1). The theme of this poem is to try to achieve your dreams and not let them die . In the poem â€Å"Dream Deferred † also by Langston Hughes the author writes about the theme being how a person could basically not be sane without dreams and how important they are to a person. As the author writes â€Å"Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun† ( Hughes 2-3 poem 2). The author is referring how dreams die when not pursued and dry up like raisins when not used or reached. The author used figurative language in the form of metaphors in these two poems in the first poem â€Å"Dreams† . The author writes â€Å"For when dreams go/Life is like a barren field/ of frozen snow † (Hughes 6-8 poem 1) . Which he feels hopelessness and the author expresses hopelessness in the lines †For it dreams die / Life is a broken winged-bird / that cannot fly †(Hughes - poem 2). The author is trying to explain to the reader to not let go of your dreams which is basically the whole poem is about your dreams and how important and I don’t think that Langston Hughes could stress that anymore than he already has. As the author writes â€Å"Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?† Langston Hughes argues about how readers should never let our hopes, dreams, and aspirations.

Defining Post-Modernism Essay -- Definition post Modernism

Defining Post-Modernism In trying to define exactly what post-modernism is I shall firstly briefly consider some of the events and thinking that led up to the development of this particular school of social theory. I shall then consider some of the common strands of thinking in postmodernism concentrating mainly on the writings of Jean-Francois Lyotard and Jean Baudrillard. I shall then consider the view of David Harvey, a Marxist many consider to be writing in the postmodern tradition, who argues that post-modernism is just another form of capitalism. Having analysed his argument I shall conclude by giving my own personal view of post-modernism and by showing that by its very nature it is virtually impossible to come up with one single all encompassing definition. The term postmodernism was first used in relation to architecture. Modern architecture, namely the high rise tower blocks of the sixties, were becoming more and more unpopular. Charles Jencks (1977) traces the death of modernist architecture to the demolition of the Pruitt-Igoe housing project in St. Louis, and other writers (Lemert (1990)) have seen this as a symbol of the end of modernity. Society was reacting against modern architectural ideas having lost faith in the modern ideals. Although modern architecture might have been scientifically advanced using the latest and cheapest materials, people rejected it, preferring to return to a variety of styles from the past. Examples of this can be seen in the rejuvenation of the Albert Dock in Liverpool, and 'mock'; medieval squares. Similarly in Sociology postmodernism rejects the theories of the past, and represents a break from the 'modern'; way of thinking. For example, Marx envisaged society evolving through social change into the 'perfect'; communist society, where there are no issues of class or general inequality. Postmodernists would refer to his theory, and those of other sociologists, as a metanarrative and writers such as Lyotard (1984) have seen the rejection of such theories as central to postmodernism: 'Simplifying to the extreme, I define postmodernism as incredulity to metanarratives'; People have lost faith in the metanarratives of the past and Lyotard sees social life being organised around 'language games', which serve to justify people's behaviour in society. In these games a person endeavours to persuade others t... ...is impossible to apply one all encompassing theory. A range of theories must be considered and all viewpoints listened to. Only by adopting such an approach and by welcoming different points of view can we further understand the world in which we live. References Harvey, D. (1990) 'The Condition Of Postmodernity'; Oxford:Blackwell Kellner, D. (1990) 'Postmodernism: Jameson: Critique'; cited in Ritzer, G. (1992) 'Sociological Theory'; (third edition) New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc. Lyotard, J.F. (1984) The Postmodern Condition. Minneapolis : University of Minnesota Press Ritzer, G. (1992) 'Sociological Theory'; (third edition) New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc. Bibliography Adams, D.J. Toward a Theological Understanding of Postmodernism http://aril.org/adams.htm#TEXT20 Cuff, E.C., Sharrock, W.W., and Francis, D.W. (1998) 'Perspectives in Sociology'; (fourth edition) London: Routledge. Mizrach, S. Talking pomo: An analysis of the postmodern movement http://glidare.isp.his.se/isp/~andreas/pomo.htm Ritzer, G. (1992) 'Sociological Theory'; (third edition) New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc. Ritzer, G. (1996) 'Classical Social Theory'; (second edition) New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.

Gender and Women

Oppression is a word that is often misunderstood and misused. In Marilyn Frye’s article, Oppression, a central theme is created that focuses on male control, and how it is a form of oppression that affects the lives of women (Frye, 9). My reasons for agreeing with Frye’s argument that only women are oppressed as their own gender will be further discussed by focusing on how women are forced into particular roles.Additionally, I will explain how there is a mutual barrier of oppression where women are oppressed for the benefit of men, and how women will always be immobilized and degraded to benefit other groups regardless of their race or economic status. Frye defines oppression as often being thought of as the limitation or suffering of any human for any reason or cause. She argues that this statement is incorrect and highlights that humans can be miserable without being oppressed. Frye defines being oppressed as similar to being molded, immobilized and reduced by forces or barriers.She relates this concept to the â€Å"category† of women and how they are constantly caught between forces or barriers that are a disadvantage to them. It is explained that women, regardless of race, religion or economic status, will always be oppressed because â€Å"being a woman is significantly attached to whatever disadvantages and deprivations she suffers, be they great or small†(Frye, 16). Frye highlights that oppression is a double bind barrier in which one group will suffer for the betterment of the other. Men oppress women with a variety of different elements that collaboratively immobilize, reduce, and mold the lives of women.She concludes that women are oppressed as women, which adds limitations to what they can do in life, and men are not oppressed as men by shedding light on the fact that being a man is something that they have going for them (Frye, 9-16). It is clear that everyone, either male or female, acts a certain way around someone of th e same sex, as opposed to someone of the opposite sex. Frye explains that both males and females have certain restraints on what behavior is acceptable for them, and how â€Å"women restraint is part of a structure oppressive to women and the men restraint is part of a structure oppressive to women† (Frye, 16).Women can act â€Å"un-lady like† when they are only around other women, however as soon as men are in the picture, a woman is expected to act a specific way. Men and women have grown up in different gender roles, where they do certain things and act in a certain way that differs from the other sex. Nonetheless, men seem to oppress women into certain roles so strongly that it results in men also having to live up to particular roles. If a woman is expected to sit up straight, then a man is expected to play the opposite role and slouch, to ensure their masculinity.If a woman is expected to eat healthy and stay slim, a man is expected to work out and get buff. By c reating standards or roles that women have to live up to, men create social standards for themselves unintentionally. However this does not mean that they are oppressed, because men do not miss out on opportunities for being a male. Being able to recognize this difference is crucial. There are several ways in which men oppress women, in turn creating social standards for themselves without being oppressed. Frye uses the example of a man opening a door for a woman.At a microscopic level, it looks like the man is being polite, and removing a barrier for a woman to walk freely (Frye, 12). By simply opening the door for a woman who is capable of doing it herself, men are oppressing women as unable (Frye, 12). As a result, men create a new social â€Å"mold† for themselves, where they have to be a gentleman and ensure that they get to the door first. So does this mean that women oppress men? Fyre argues that there is a mutual barrier within oppression. For example, when looking at a prison, there is a barrier that separates the prisoners from citizens.The prisoners are restrained to ensure the safety of the citizens outside of the prison. These barriers take away from the freedom and liberty of the prisoners, while intensifying the freedom of the citizens (Frye 14). This scenario is similar to how men oppress women. Men sometimes believe that they are oppressed into the â€Å"mold† of masculinity, and are unable to be nurturing (Frye, 14). Nonetheless, men restrict themselves to this role in order to maintain their superiority, while women are oppressed into roles, which act as a huge disadvantage to them.As a result of being oppressed by men, women will always be immobilized and degraded to benefit another group. Although men are constrained by the oppression of women, women have to fit into a tighter mold. Frye underlines that one’s suffering is partly because one is a member of a specific category. In this case, being a woman is a huge facto r that gets in the way of her everyday life (Frye, 16). McGinn (2012) explains that in the early 19th century, women were not expected to work and earn their own living. They rarely had careers, and most professions were refused to women and saved for men (McGinn, 2012).Today, women are allowed to work, and have an equal chance of getting the same jobs as males. However, there are underlying bias’ that affect a woman from being respected in the position as highly as a male. For example, a lot of individuals take male police officers more seriously than female police officers, even though they have the same qualifications. This is just one of many examples of how women are oppressed and further degraded in order to give men the role of being the more dominant sex. Frye’s argument on how women are oppressed as women and how men are not oppressed as men is indeed correct.Women are consistently degraded and shaped into particular roles, which benefit men and other social g roups. Regardless of a women’s economic status, race, or culture, they will always be victimized for solely being a women. It is clear, that when looking at the barriers of oppression, that women are confined to the side that is oppressed, giving all dominance to the male sex. Future generations should work towards creating a more equal lifestyle between women and other social groups, allowing women to achieve roles in which they want to fulfill.

Stone Cold

Stone cold is a book written by Robert Swindells, the plot of the story is set on two people, one who is homeless (Link) and one who kills because he believes that the homeless ruin the place (Shelter).Robert Swindells is clever at writing the story, as he switches between the two characters link and shelter, the characters in the story are all different and lead very different lives, Shelter who used to be in the army left after problems, now he believes that he is still in the army and is on a mission to kill people especially homeless people on the streets, he makes his own recruits and then kills them brutally, he believes that he is making the place look tidier and cleaner.Then there is Link, Link has had a lot of trouble at home, and he has left his family and friends to lead a better life on the streets of London, though he is finding it hard to survive, and has had trouble rationing the money he had. He finds himself in London, he barely survives as he finds a bed mate called ginger, however when ginger suddenly disappears link is all back on his own in the great city of London, then he meets Gail, but then a again like all the people he meets, he finds that she is a reporter.Robert Swindells makes this book interesting, by making the suspense last, and he uses complex vocabulary to create an atmosphere, he brings shelter to life, he creates link by bringing him into shelter and into the insecure street life of London, he makes you feel sad and puts your feelings and puts them in the story, he makes you feel sorry of Link by showing and emphasizing that this boy is now on the streets as he has made a mess of his life.And now at the very end in London alone he lives, with a broken heart, no lover or friend, however he is now more street wise and he understands not to fall into the arms of anyone and get attached to soon.