This video suggests that maybe parents are one to blame for some of this shoe violence occuring as well as Michael Jordan who hasn't done anything to help solve this problem. This reports showed that there were fights, people being pepper sprayed, and even getting arrested for damaging doors trying to get into the malls to be first in line. 

 

In this video, it was mentioned that it is mostly minorities who are  involved in these riots and fights. This should tell us something and make people realize that maybe the urban communities need to be taught about priorities and home training. Quanell makes a good point that it has to start with the parents! I agree wih this, because there are children waiting in lin also, alone or with others all night, when their main priorities should be school. I understand that parents cannot stop teenagers and as they get older from doing anything and they can monitor them 24/7 but they definitely can set some groung rules and teach their children that violence is not the answer to anything and shoes are not that important. Crazy thing about it is that, you'll see parents waiting in line with their children, so it seems as though they are apart of the issue also. 

 

"Sneakers aren't going to do anything to help them grow up and deveop and mature as adults or help them academically for the work place or even in education in America" says activist Quanell in this video. He makes a good point here! What exactly are the value of these shoes? People are acting as if they are like a statue of honor and that they need to have the latest pair. Actually, I believe that it is all a mind thing and people only want others have to fit into the crowd.

 

Some of the problem here is that society mixes up people's minds into thinking they need certain things or have to do things to get it  just so they can fit in or be accepted.  After reading "Wanting, Having, and Satisfaction: Examinig the Role of Desire" by Crawford Solberg et al, I came across various points that could relate to this issue. This peer reviewed journal explained the differences between one’s desires and how these may be correlated to one’s satisfaction (Crawford Solberg et al, 2002.) . They performed studied to discover whether income plays a role in one’s desires to purchase things that will enable satisfaction. Social comparison was also mentioned, which was one that I found interesting and relevant to society today. They explained that people may compare themselves to others similar to them and if they have “more” or a higher income level, they’ll feel satisfaction from this. Comparing yourself to others based on desires in one’s life may bring satisfaction to one’s life or may be unhappiness. I feel that this correlates to the issue of shoe violence because of the way society is set up today. Children see others with these sneakers and feel that they will be "cool" if they get them also, because everyone else has them. Therefore they chose to stand in line all night and/or if they cant afford them, simply steal them from someone else. Parents play a role in this also, because they should teach they child priorities and let them know that pair of shoes are not that serious and it's only mateiralistic. 

 

In my opinion, I believe that the sports in media can be an underlying issue also. Accoring to Mihaela Rodica Marasescu, the writer of Athletes Involvement in Violence and Aggression within the Context of Sports Competition, the more aggressive it makes the athlete (Rodica Marasescu, 2013.)  In my opinion, basketball can be a very aggressive sport. Watching these behaviors on television and associating it wih buying these basketball shoes can somewhat correlate in a sense. This quotes really sums up this article Mihaaela wrote because it’s really the underlying issue. She writes, "obsessively passionate players display higher levels of aggressiveness.”  In children, they look at television and sports and see how athletes behave and display this behavior when they are in sports. Athletes play as a role model for many children and can affect their behavior in youth sports and also everyday life, including going to stand in line for Jordans and behaving erratically when they can't get a pair. 

 

 

Quanell does touch base on the fact the Michael Jordan is the main person who needs to be figuring out a way to help prevent all this volence. Michael has made billions of dollars over the years and shouldnt be only after the money. I guess that's how society is our generation today. In this video, he notes that Michael Jordan needs to make his shoes more affordable for people so that children won't have to fight and steal. There are other basketball players who sell shoes also, that doesn't have to deal with these problems, because they're shoes are affordable and easy to get. If Jordan wants his shoes to be exclusive, maybe they shouldn't be sold in all stores or should only be available online. 

 

There are deifintely steps that can be made to work towards decreasing the violence in the stores on sneaker release days, but everyone has to start making actions to do so. I came up with a bright idea on how retail shoe stores should sell their shoes and make it much safer for people to buy Jordans. On the next page, you'll read about my plan that could make a difference.