Rate my argument Essay

[Namann]

The following appeared as a letter to the editor from a Central Plaza store owner.

"Over the past two years, the number of shoppers in Central Plaza has been steadily decreasing while the popularity of skateboarding has increased dramatically. Many Central Plaza store owners believe that the decrease in their business is due to the number of skateboard users in the plaza. There has also been a dramatic increase in the amount of litter and vandalism throughout the plaza. Thus, we recommend that the city prohibit skateboarding in Central Plaza. If skateboarding is prohibited here, we predict that business in Central Plaza will return to its previously high levels."

Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the recommendation is likely to have the predicted result. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation.

 

The letter from a Central Plaza store owner proposes that if skateboarding is prohibited from Central Plaza, then the business in Central Plaza will return to its previously high levels. The store owner bases this claims on the fact that the number of skateboard users in the plaza have increased in the past two years. Moreover, there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of litter and vandalism throughout the plaza as well due to the copious skateboard users. However, there are a few questions which might need answering to before we move on with this suggestion. For example, is the increase in skateboarding directly correlated to the decrease in business of stores? Is the increase in litter and vandalism directly linked to the skateboarders or could there be other reasons for it? 

Firstly, can the decrease in number of shoppers in Central Plaza be directly attributed to the skateboarders? The central plaza store owners believe that slow business is due to the skateboarder users, however there is no proof provided by the owner to back this claim. There could be a number of reasons as to why people might turn away from Central Plaza. Maybe, a newer and better shopping centre has opened near by and that has attracted the attention of the people. Perhaps, some of the stores that attracted people to Central Plaza closed down and that is why some people have stopped shopping at Central Plaza. Moreover, there is a possibility that the number of shoppers coming to Central Plaza started decreasing more than two years ago. If any of the above examples holds true, then the suggestion put forward by the owner may not stand. Perhaps, if a survey is done asking people if they stopped coming to Central Plaza due to skateboard users, we might have a better grasp of the situation.  

Secondly, is there a particular reason for the increase in amount of litter and vandalism in Central Plaza? Its’ possible that the security team of Central Plaza has changed and the new team isn’t doing its job properly which has led to more vandalism, it can not be directly attributed to the skateboard users. Maybe due to decrease in number of shoppers, Central Plaza’s funds have been dwindling and they aren’t able to pay the cleaning workers at the appropriate time which has led to an increase in litter throughout the plaza. If applicable, then there is no need to prohibit skateboarders from Central Plaza. Maybe if security cameras are installed around the Plaza, we might have better idea as to who the miscreants are, and we might have a better understanding of the cause of increased vandalism and litter. 

The suggestion provided by the Central Plaza store owner, might work and may infect lead to a revival in the number of shoppers at Central Plaza, however as it stands, the argument doesn’t provide enough evidence and it would be imprudent to take such a harsh decision.