For those who would argue that the Star Wars prequels had no significant effect on the pop cultural degradation of our youth. I ask you to consider the following.

As many of you know I make my wages selling shoes to children. Often in this profession a situation arises in which a parent wants to purchase a particular pair of shoes, but the child wants to purchase a different pair. Now; considering the vast disparity in purchasing power between the child and the parent, one may think the parent would simply purchase the shoes they preferred and go about their business. In most cases one would be mistaken. Instead it becomes necessary to spend the next twenty minutes trying to talk the child into the shoes the parent prefers. Usually – as most children I interact with are pretty gullible – this task is accomplished without too much difficulty.

However, some children are rather strong willed, and the preferred methods of persuasion are of no use. Convincing the child that one pair is faster than the other, or that one pair will make them jump higher, for instance. Essentially telling them the same things they hear on advertisements during Dora the Explorer.

When I am faced with such a challenge and the child is male between the ages of four and six, there is a tactic I like to employ. In fact I was forced to use this strategy not too long ago in a galaxy not so far away.

This young man was dead set on a pair of hiking boots, but his father wanted him to get a pair of sneakers. We went through the aforementioned motions to no avail. So I asked him, “Do you like Star Wars?’

“I love Star Wars,” he replied.

At this point I thought I had him. I was blinded by hubris. I thought, as had proved effective so many times in the past, it would now simply be a matter of convincing him that the most courageous, most wanted man in the Star Wars universe didn’t like hiking boots, and in fact, always wore sneakers.

So I said, “You know Han Solo?’

He tilted his head in bewilderment and said, “Who’s Han Solo?”

Who’s Han Solo? The question hit me like a dodge ball in the face. Almost by instinct I slapped my palm to my brow and asked aloud, “What is wrong with this generation?” Then I gritted my teeth and hoped his parent wasn’t offended.

I didn’t fully realize the significance of this exchange until later. When I was growing up the Star Wars ideal of man was Han Solo. Sure, Luke was a Jedi, but he spends most of his time being conflicted and getting scolded by a Muppet. Han was the sensitive rebel, the practical idealist. While he respected Luke’s beliefs he knew that hokey religions and ancient weapons were no match for a good blaster at your side. He also got the girl. The only girl Luke ever kissed turned out to be his sister.

Now it seems that the Star Wars ideal of man is Anakin Skywalker. A whole generation is growing up acting like Anakin Skywalker in their back yards - poorly. It gets really terrifying if one stops to consider the character of Anakin Skywalker. Anakin stops at nothing to get what he wants. He cares little for the feelings of others. The rules and regulations of the Jedi order seem not to apply to him. Twenty or so children die by the glow of his lightsaber.

Not much of a role model.