Personal Essay about What I Would Place In A Time Capsule

A time capsule is a container storing a selection of objects in the present time and then being buried for the future time. Many people put items in a time capsule for future generations to come.These items are often, personally or culturally important.The word time capsule was first used in 1937 when a capsule was prepared for burial for the 1939 New York World's Fair. Historians believe the first time capsule was placed on October 27, 1887. An item I would put in a time capsule would be my Air Jordan 11’s, and the reason being is because of the value my shoes would get over time. These are shoes that were made from the Jordan Brand which were released in 1996. Michael Jordan a famous American professional basketball player who was in the league from 1984-2003. Movies were released and the value price for these shoes would skyrocket and whoever gets their hands on these shoes in the future would make a decent amount of money, just by selling the shoes online or in person. It seems right to put something valuable in the time capsule so the future generation can see what life was like back then. My shoes are classics and they have always been a popular option for this generation. So many individuals around my age seem to gravitate towards Air Jordans, especially the Jordan 11’s. So putting a pair of these shoes in the time capsule will give our future generation an idea of the style we would rock as well as the shoes we would wear.  I argue that Air Jordan 11’s make the best item to put in a time capsule and the reason I say that is because of Michael Jordan's impact on sports and popular culture.

I argue that Jordan's hard work is what impacted sports for American culture. Michael Jordan is an idol and always gives me the motivation to achieve my dreams and strive for the best in life so when he came out with his signature shoes I felt like I had to buy them. The reason I say this is because I want his legacy to live on forever and putting his shoe in the time capsule can remind the future generation of what type of person Michael Jordan was. Jordan 11’s have always been a big part of American culture going all the way back into the 90s. All of his hard work and dedication to playing basketball is what drove people to go buy his shoes. Our culture gravitated towards being like Michael Jordan and wanting to do exactly what he did. Over the years his shoe brand has grown into one of the largest shoe brands in the world.

Jordan changed the game of merchandising and consumerism through his hard work for basketball. In 1985  Michael Jordan was drafted to Chicago Bulls and came out with his first shoe “ Air Jordan 1”. He was the first athlete to be sponsored by himself and his fame helped bring his own brand together as well as other brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Jordan. Jordan helped Nike grow into being one of the most famous athletic brands in the world.  Before he was drafted Converse was the signature shoe of the NBA.  The NBA which is the National Basketball Association preferred white converse in the 80s because it accented with team jerseys.  When Jordan released his signature shoe they were red and black and were different from the normal team colors and gear. From that moment NBA players around the league have stepped up and been more creative and decisive when it comes to marketing their shoes. 

I argue that Michael Jordan's impact on sports is what led to a fashion change. Throughout Michael Jordan's successful career on the court, he also was able to make a brand for himself and was able to turn his brand into a cultural icon. His shoe Space Jam has changed our culture and inspired some of the top players in the NBA. For example, Zach LaVine said “ Michael Jordan was that guy- whatever he did we followed”.  LaVine said he used to watch Space Jams as a kid growing up so he was always inspired by Michael and how he dedicated himself to the court.  Space Jams also changed fashion and provided more ideas for fashion designers to create and promote more clothing.  Space Jams also included the group called “ Looney Tunes” which was led by a cartoon character named Bugs Bunny.  This was a big reason why the Air Jordan 11s were such a big impact in the twentieth century because of the joint collaboration between Looney Tunes and the Jordan Brand. Michael Jordan was cast for the starting role in the movie Space Jams. Which had been filmed in 1996 and in 2021 with both films ranking at number one during their time, Michael Jordan released the shoe on May 14, 1995. Space Jams have made such a tremendous change in our culture that people who didn't even know about sneakers would come to shoe stores to buy the Space Jams. Back in 2000, the top-selling shoes were Nike SB which was an offshoot skateboarding shoe that was advertised off rap albums, celebrities, and beer commercials. When the Space Jams were released customers felt a deeper connection with the shoes because of who Micahel Jordan was and how most people grew up watching the Looney Tunes. As we fast forward to now in 2022 it still has the same impact as it did 22 years ago as people are still eager to buy the shoes and still feel that same experience.

In conclusion, I feel like I picked the best item to put in the time capsule for the future generation. It has a great story behind it and holds great value in the shoe market. If it wasn't for Michael Jordan being himself and working hard then I don't believe the shoes would have as much significance as they do. The shoe connected with a lot of people and they seemed to gravitate towards the whole Space Jams project. It was enjoyable for the kids and younger adults and also was giving out a positive message about not giving up and working hard for what you want.