Ok, so that headline is inflammatory and it’s not totally true. I do feel sorry for those closest to Michael Jackson and I also felt sorry for Michael Jackson when he was alive. He was obviously a tortured soul and it seems endured the kind of upbringing even the most level headed person would have struggled to cope with.
I’m sure that most of his actions in later life were learned behaviors developed in his formative years. If you want to apportion blame (and quite frankly, I don’t), look no further than those that raised him, and those that stood back and watched his behavior grow increasingly erratic without having the guts to intervene.
I have no idea whether he was a pedophile, a child molester or just a misunderstood genius, and quite frankly that is the bit I don’t give a damn about. He was a human being, no better, no worse than you or me. The music, the singing and the showmanship is academic.
I posted this on Twitter yesterday when the news broke:
“I think I may have to walk away from Twitter for a while because I care more about the homeless guy down the road than Michael Jackson”
I thought I may take some flak, but it actually got retweeted by people I don’t even know. On reflection, it was probably unfair to say that. What I should have said was:
“I care as much about the homeless guy down the road as Michael Jackson”
Michael Jackson made some brilliant music and as somebody that owned a record store for 8 years he made me a lot of money. Personally I was ambivalent about most of his albums, but I could then, and still can see the appeal. It was and still is classic pop music in the truest sense.
Prior to Michael Jackson dying there were a number of tweets saying how sad it was Farrah Fawcett had died. Well yeh, I guess it was, but because a human being had died and not because it was a Charlies Angel that had her wings taken off her.
18,000 Americans die every year (that’s almost 50 people every day) because they couldn’t afford proper medical insurance. I don’t see much on Twitter about that, yet to me that is something worth Tweeting about.
62% of all bankruptcies in one of the wealthiest countries on the planet are because of medical bills. Insurance companies employ people to find ways to avoid paying claims, even to those that are in danger of losing their jobs, their homes and their self respect. That to me is also worth Tweeting about.
And of course I could go on about the inequity of life, but what’s the point?
What has this got to do with Life Coaching and/or self development you may be wondering?
I joked in this video and encouraged people to embrace celebrity culture. It seems to me for millions of people in this country and also the UK, it’s far from a joke, it’s a way of life.
Michael Jackson is looked upon as being almost Godlike by some people and no doubt his untimely death will heighten that status in years to come. The reality is, he had the same limitations, the same concerns and the same foibles as we all do, maybe even more so. He was human, he lived, he died, he paid taxes.
If you’re saddened or shocked any more by the death of a guy that could sing when you never even knew him, than you are by the death of a homeless person that freezes to death sleeping under cardboard boxes, I’d ask you to reevaluate your priorities.
Oh I know people will say people say he brought so much joy to the world. Well yeh that’s true, but so do the teachers that help children overcome learning difficulties, nurses that help patients regain full health and fire fighters that stop blazes before they level peoples property. The guy that invented chocolate did a bang up job too.
If you believe in God, then I’m sure you adopt the belief that God made all human beings equal. Some aren’t a bit more equal than others because they happen to be able to bang out a tune or dance a bit. God probably isn’t all excited because MJ can now teach him in person how to do the moon dance you know.
Even if you don’t believe in God, unless you’re a homophobe, a racist, a misogynist or an elitist I’ll presume you still think we’re all equal. If that is the case and you’re upset about the passing of Michael Jackson, I feel sure you’re equally concerned for the 50 mothers that lost their children in the time it took you took to read this post.
Should we tweet about them?
I think I half agree with you and half disagree, I think our culture of celebrity is very damaging for all sorts of reasons. I was actually writing a post in my head about this for the last couple of weeks, but couldn’t quite condense my thoughts.
While I am annoyed at some of the histrionics, I’m inclined to give people a break for being so shocked and upset. I’m not sure that folks are so much mourning a man as they are experiencing all sorts of emotions about various parts of their life that are strongly linked with Michael Jackson and his music.
It’s sort of a shock to the system to me when those sorts of memories come rushing back. You know, remembering my downstairs neighbor Sue had a Michael Jackson barbie and I had to make due with a stupid Todd barbie and I was jealous and so on and I don’t know if it’s really mourning that I feel, but there is a sense of loss and a feeling of fondness and missing those days.
On the other hand, the feeling I get when something horrible happens to other people who I don’t have these sorts of associations with is very different.
It’s very hard to figure out the balance isn’t it? We could hardly stand the weight of grief if we stopped to think all day, every day of every thing there is to mourn. And if we stopped to celebrate every achievement, it would cease to mean anything at all.
I think maybe we need icons and that it’s not such a bad thing that there are occasionally these moments where most of us are feeling something similar. It just sort of reminds us that there is so much that is universal about the human experience, you know?
(ps I think I am maybe a bit overemotional because I started remembering how gosh darn optimistic I was about We Are The World and miss that feeling and am maybe teary eyed. )
Tracys last blog post..Why do people eat too much
[...] in his formative years. If you want to apportion blame (and quite frankly, I don’t), look n click for more var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : [...]
As soon as I heard about it (I was already on Tweetdeck) I wrote about it straight away. Of course I didn’t know him personally, but it did shock me.
When I seen tweets like yours and from other people, I instantly thought “Why are these people trying to put themselves on a pedestal” as if they are too good to say R.I.P or keep negativity to themselves.
I don’t care about the above point anymore. It is what it is.
The thing is, people don’t know the homeless guy down the street so it’s hard to feel anything. In africa, every single day I would see guys with one arm and one leg begging for money, across Cape Town. Kids out at 3-4am when I’m clubbing with just a jumper on begging for money. It’s hard for people to ‘feel’ anything for troubles in Africa without seeing it.
I guess what I’m trying to say is…it’s natural. Although we didn’t know Michael, the press and his music made him feel a part of us in some way. If we knew the homeless guy in the street, I’m sure we would feel bad about him as well (on that note, it’s probably up to us or charities to make us more aware of this kind of thing).
Interesting post, although one I feel was written for controversy, since you completely go against the title in the opening paragraph (yet the title remains a different view).
Anyways, no love / respect lost, I still love reading your point of view.
Sorry for the ridiculously long comment.
Glen Allsopps last blog post..How Much Of Life Are You Actually Living?
I’m with you 100% on this one Tim. The celebrity worship culture drives me nuts in an intellectual, but not emotional way. Michael Jackson was indeed a tortured soul. I liked his early 80’s music when I was early 20’s. Michael Jackson had some obvious genius.
I watched some people on TV yesterday (because my wife watches this crap) crying and acting like the savior of the world just died. I don’t get it.
I’ll continue the controversy. The so-called “911 families” were about the end of me. 50,000 people die every year from cancer. The 2,000 that died in a dramatic way on TV in front of the world were not special. The loss to their families was no greater than say the loss of my sister to her family at age 39. Yet they parade around on TV and demand millions of dollars in compensation from the government. God help the poor family whose loving provider died in a car accident in Kansas the same day.
My reaction to the news when I walked into my house last night and saw what my wife was watching on TV was simply surprise. I didn’t know he was in ill health or anything like that. I don’t care any more than I care about anyone else I don’t know. I didn’t care any less than I care about anyone else I don’t know.
I didn’t “know” Michael Jackson and he was NOT a great human being. He was amply rewarded in fame and fortune for what he provided – some good music for a time.
Stephen – Rat Race Traps last blog post..Lovely Links
@ Tracy – I can give people a break for sure. Although why anybody would be shocked about a 50 year old guy with his medical history having a heart attack I have no idea.
I can remember when Ian Curtis of Joy Division committed suicide I was shocked.. I’d seen them play live only a week or two prior and been within touching distance of him. In retrospect he was another tortured soul.
@ Glen and Tracy – I’m not knocking people who tweeted RIP MJ, that wasn’t the point at all. I’m knocking a screwed up Society of which I am part, that treats people like him as demi-Gods.
That tweet was about me. This post otoh is more widespread. Celebrity culture sucks, it has few if any redeeming features. We already have half-assed conspiracy theories flying round the net.
There will be scenes on TV of hysterical people sobbing and wailing and others refusing to believe he is even dead.
It reminds me of when Princess Diana died. We were bullied into closing our shop by local business people. We didn’t really want to. When the funeral was on I took the dog into the woods and never saw a single person. Millions lined the streets and millions more watched on TV.
The following year people were predicting all sorts of stuff happening for the anniversary and nothing did. The hysteria had died and people moved on. That was probably the greatest demonstration of social proof the UK has ever seen. You’re crying so I better cry even if I have no idea why.
No worries about the long comment and of course it was written for controversy.
I am serious about some of the stuff I say in it, but of course I bear MJ or his supporters no ill will, I just wish a fraction of this energy went into helping people that really need our help.
This is an absolute nonsense. If we follow your way of thinking to its logical end, we must conclude that we must fell sorry about the death of our mother but also about the death of any unknown woman in the same amount.
We aren’t like that. Human beings feel stronger sentiments for the people that are closer to them. And we usually feel closer to people that made us happy with a song or a movie than to people that we simply doesn’t know.
This way of thinking reminds me of what Thomas Sowell wrote about “the anointed”. You seems like a book example of what he tried to define in his essays.
By the way, please excuse my english. I’m spanish.
Daniel Rodriguez Herreras last blog post..Quema de judíos
@ Stephen – Very briefly before I head off to the gym. My dad died from a stroke in 2002. I was with him when he was admitted to hospital in London where we had gone for the day.
Basically the hospital screwed up. He should have been seen withing 60 minutes and it was 8 hours before a stroke team got to him. With a stroke you can do some great stuff in the first 6 hours to reverse the damage. There is a process where they actually reverse the blood flow.
To cut a long story short, we could have sued the hospital and almost certainly won. But who would have suffered? The patients to follow that’s who, because that money has to come from somewhere and insurance companies never foot the bill in the long-term. So we didn’t.
Stunning article; my sentiments exactly.
As I was watching the news all of yesterday, all of those thoughts that you mentioned in this post occurred to me. I even went so far as to ask, “Okay… the tributes to Michael Jackson are nice, as are the up-to-date headlines regarding his death, but whatever about the OTHER crime & happenings going on in the world right now?” I couldn’t help but wonder about our troops overseas, people who were in fatal car accidents right this second, & other people in my city who died that day, as well. Sure, they’re all no Michael Jackson, or Farrah Fawcett… but they’re people, & to me, they are just as important. Not only that, but I find it a little sad that the entire news world completely STOPS when a celebrity passes. I haven’t been able to watch normal news for the last few days. It shouldn’t be like that, but it is.
On another hand though, I am deeply saddened by his (Michael Jackson’s) death, but only because it was extremely sudden & because his music provokes wonderful memories of my childhood. & then of course, there’s the fact that it’s absolutely tragic to realize that it is the fame that can kill you. I don’t believe human beings are able to be looked up to as “Godlike”; perhaps that’s why so many famous people die…
I’m rambling a bit, but I just wanted to say thank you for this post. It was very insightful, & I think people need to read stuff like this.
(By the way, I’m Jonathan Mead’s wife, of illuminatedmind.net; nice to meet you!)
Ev`Yan || apricot tea.s last blog post..apricot’s closet: romper.
[...] Brownson makes an interesting point about the reaction to Michael Jackson’s death that I recommend [...]
I agree that we should be just as concerned about every human life. Psychologists have made some interesting observations about the flaws in they way are brain’s interpret various types of tragedy. They’ve also speculated that, even though we don’t personally know celebrities, our minds think we do because we seem to “know” so much about them. Remember out brains evolved during times when we only really heard about people living near us.
But I think we do have to acknowledge that Michael Jackson (and all his collaborators) gave millions of people some of the most exhilarating times of their lives. He put A LOT of value into the world in the form of happiness, entertainment and optimism. Not to mention his charitable donations.
But again, we should also care deeply for all the people quietly dieing all over the world every moment…
Like all great people, there are great things to learn from their lives. I compiled a few in my latest blog post.
Robin Krieglstein, CEO, GoalTribe.coms last blog post..The 5 Most Important Things Michael Jackson Taught Us
@ Daniel – Your English is fine although I’m less sure about your logic!
You do not know MJ because you listen to his music. You may like to think you’re close to him, but it’s not reality is it? To compare some guy who you’ve have never spoken to and know next to nothing about with your mother, is quite frankly ludicrous.
@ Ev’Yan – I knew who you were. As soon as I saw Apricot Tea, I thought that’s Mrs JM!
Ramble away that’s what the comments are for and I think we’re on the same page. I’m in danger of coming across as a Michael Jackson hater, but that’s not even close to being true.
Thanks for commenting and nice to meet you too!
@ Robin – Undoubtedly he did give millions pleasure, that’s not in dispute. I also agree about people thinking they know people.
I’m not sure after reading your post Michael Jackson taught us anything we didn’t already know.
Celebrity worship is one of many things I’ll personally die never having understood.
Another one is how to use most of the features on my cell phone…
Tim,
I really think that what you wrote here is important. I agree with what you are saying – no one person, no one life, no one death is more important than another.
It is a strange thing, when people do this – yet somewhat natural to many. We of course tend to care more about those very close to us in life (our families and friends), and then we have the celebrity effect that can make people we don’t even know seem more important than others.
I think that Michael Jackson was a very talented person who touched many – and this is what contributed to this phenomena.
I may even have thought that way about some people more than others in my past life, but you know when it changed for me?
When I had children.
Because, then, I started thinking to myself, “that person was someone’s child, sibling, parent, lover, friend”. Everyone started out being loved, and hopefully, was loved through life. Some are not so lucky.
I can think of another example like this that really made me think, from many years ago – please bear with me folks, I mean no offence to anyone by this example.
January 1st, 2001, over 20,000 people were killed by an earthquake in Gujarat, India.
How many people reading this knew that?
And then, we all know that over 3,000 people were killed on September 11th, 2001.
To continue with earthquakes, December 26th, 2004, almost 228,000 (yes, THOUSAND) people were killed in the Sumatra-Andaman Islands.
Did anyone reading this know about that?
None of these deaths was more important than the other. All of these people had parents, were once loved as children, perhaps had children, lovers, friends.
But for some reason, people pay more attention to certain deaths.
I am not sure I understand it, and I probably never will.
Brett Legrees last blog post..seemingly random thoughts on a rainy tuesday evening.
@Tim, that makes sense. Like I said, I am disenchanted with the celebrity culture myself and when I read your tweet I didn’t think it was a put down.
I do agree that a lot of what is/will go on surrounding Michael Jackson’s death will be over the top, tasteless and just plain nutty. It seems like almost every time something dramatic or tragic happens a lot of people are eager to insert themselves into it somehow. I do feel sad that those prone to this aren’t able to channel their need to be part of something greater into something more likely to be productive for themselves and other people.
That said, I know I could certainly do more good than I do already and maybe all of this musing about how people do have this need to connect and feel a part of something is meant to get the wheels turning in my head to figure out a way to do just that. I don’t know, getting into woo-woo territory here, but there has to be a reason I’m so fascinated by this all. Sort of equal parts repulsed and moved, actually.
Heh, I think I will write that post that’s been kicking around inside my head since the whole Jon and Kate thing. You may come around and tell me all the ways I got it wrong when it is done. ;-)
Tracys last blog post..Why do people eat too much
We feel that Michael Jackson has left us so early, with just his music and our memories. Our prayers go out to his family. I love you so much, and never got the chance to go to a concert. I honestly think you
Hi Tim. All valid perspectives, and I particularly agree with the sentiment that we should collectively be concerned about, and do a lot more, to address the healthcare/bankruptcy you highlight. Would you care to offer your thoughts on HOW to go about this? Perhaps there are some simple coaching or motivation techniques we can employ to spur us into action?
I’m with you on this one, Tim. It’s sad when anyone dies — but it’s the statistics and facts you quote in your post that are the tragedy.
I suppose my reaction (pretty much of indifference) to Michael Jackson’s death was coloured by the fact that a much-loved member of our church passed away the day before, from a long battle with cancer. She was one of the people who made us feel instantly at home when we moved into this area, and she was very intelligent, warm, and loving. She did a huge amount in the community, and helped a lot of people through difficult times.
So, though I sympathise with Michael Jackson’s friends/family, I too find the public display of grief a bit unpalatable and hard to fathom.
@ Paul – Vicarious pleasure for people leaving “lives of quiet desperation”
@ Brett – I remember the 26th December Tsunami very clearly. It was Boxing Day in the UK and it was all over the news. The number almost ceases to have meaning after a while. It is like wiping the entire city of Derby (my home town back in England) out in one blow.
@ Tracy – I have no idea who Jon and Kate are but I say write the post anyway and be damned!
@ Mark – I’m not sure if there is any ‘technique’ mate. We’re talking about social conscience stuff. The fact is we become conditioned to things like poverty, sickness and injustice and it just becomes a part of life.
We can only do what we can do at an individual level and hope things change. As I mentioned before though, imagine if all this energy over the death of Michael Jackson was funneled into starting a movement to do some real good. That would be amazingly cool.
@ Ali – I can imagine how different that must have felt and I’m sorry for your loss.
@ Sarha – Think what????
@Tim,
Exactly – a whole city – gone. Generations of people. You remember it, and I do, perhaps some others – but many do not.
Brett Legrees last blog post..seemingly random thoughts on a rainy tuesday evening.
Hi Tim, will i hear from you?
Interesting post you have here, and I missed that tweet of yours that prompted this.
I find this interesting because you are the first person whom I’ve seen write about other issues of the living upon MJ’s death, and it’s nice that you put that to light.
Just some advice: a gentle reminder would be better. Take this opportunity to bring to light the other issues without putting other people down. I think if you do it this way you can get your message across more effectively.
Respect the dead and the grieving too – we may not understand the way others are reacting but that’s just the way they are and when things have settled down, it will be easier to educate or shed light.
As for my reaction to Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and MJ’s passing – they are all mixed reactions of being sorry, sad, thankful, and shock – they are all public figures and therefore their passing has a public effect…
Am still your follower!
reallyjms last blog post..Life Is Short
Interesting thoughts Tim. I must confess that I’d tended to think of MJ as “Wacko Jacko” for quite a long time and when I read he was sick my immediate assumption was that he was trying to get out of those gigs at the O2.
It’s sad when anyone passes away but I would agree with you that it doesn’t make any real difference whether it is Jacko (who made a few decent songs nearly 30 years ago)or anyone else.
That’s actually the reason I support the 12for12k guys, a bunch of “anyone else’s” trying to help out other “anyone else’s)
I never could understand the whole celebrity thing anyway.
Davids last blog post..Old Media – Nashua Telegraph
Being a Senior Citizen that is NOT aging gracefully…kicking and screaming all the way down the slippery back slope of life…I must remind everyone that death is inevitable…it happens to everyone from various causes and at various times of life. Every life is important. Michael Jackson may have personally contributed to his own demise…let’s keep focused on the folks that are living……..
Supergrannys last blog post..What do Retired People do all day?…Chinese Eye Test
Hi Tim,
Just been thinking, and I reckon you’re a bit like Michael Jackson yourself. Through your blog and your work you reach more ‘hearts’ than the average person might. Therefore, when you finally pass away (and you surely will), you may evoke a similar reaction from the masses (albeit on a smaller scale). It’s quite possible people care more about you than “the homeless guy down the road”.
How do you feel about that? Do you think that those who have a wider circle influence (as you do), also have a responsibility to start or support those “movements” you mention in your reply to me earlier?
Reading this back (before posting) it sounds every so slightly provocative in tone – I assure you it’s not intended to be. I’m just interested in your thoughts on the matter.
Cheers, Mark.
Marks last blog post..benjamenus: http://twitpic.com/8kuss – Look at the size of those bloomin’ hailstones!
@ Reallyjm – What do you mean, will you hear from me?
Who do you think I was putting down? I don’t see that at all, but maybe I’m missing something.
@ David – Thanks for the mention of 12 for 12K and here’s the link for anybody that doesn’t know what we’re talking about: http://12for12k.org/
@ Supergranny – I didn’t really go into his dark side. I’m sure if he’d been a school teacher he wouldn’t have been cut so much slack. Anyway, I agree, let’s concentrate on what we can do for the living.
@ Mark – Just fished you out of my spam for some reason.
I actually believe I am immortal, but let’s suppose for one moment I’m not.
Firstly, I can assure you that people on here know me better than any Michael Jackson fan knew him. What you see with me is what you get, I regularly talk to people here, like we have done, and converse with others via the comments and via e-mail. Although to be fair that’s probably beside the point.
Should people care more about me? Probably not, I’d certainly me embarrassed to think people were tweeting RIP. WTF for? What does that achieve or even mean?
Don’t get me wrong, I have felt sad about the deaths of certain people I didn’t know, but I think more through a sense of ‘the planet is now a slightly worse place’ for their passing.
I can remember when John Smith died being gutted. The first leader Labour in a generation that could effect change and get the Tories out of power, gone just like that. The same went for David Penhaligon, a brilliant politician that could have done massive things for the Liberal Party before he was killed in a car accident in the mid 80’s.
I’m sure I’d have felt like that if Mandela had died on Robben Island or I’d been older when JFK and MLK were assassinated.
Not sure I’d have Jacko in that esteemed company though.
In any of those cases though I probably wouldn’t have felt the need to Tweet ‘RIP’ and show people I’m more pissed off and hurting that they are. Really, what is the point in that? It just creates this pointless social proof hysteria.
I also wouldn’t have wanted wall-to-wall blanket coverage. I wouldn’t have wanted sobbing and gnashing of teeth and people profiteering like they did when Diana died.
But all that above is just me because all I can do on this blog (except for guest posts) is to offer my take on things.
As for me? Well honestly I don’t care because I won’t be here ;-) But if I were to ask for anything it would be a big piss up for my friends and family. As for people that read my blog and never knew me? No idea really, that would be their call, but yeh I’d definitely rather they sent $10 to the local shelter for homeless than flowers to my party!
“But if I were to ask for anything it would be a big piss up for my friends and family.” Yes – that’s all I’d want for me as well.
Davids last blog post..Mixero – another Twitter desktop app
@Tim. Thanks for taking the time to reply. Maybe tweeting RIP is just some people’s way of showing their respect, like laying down flowers (not that I’m sure of the value of that either!).
I can understand it. When Michael Brecker died last year, I felt a lot of things — grateful for the pleasure his music gave me, sad that he wouldn’t be making any more, inspired by his personal qualities, sympathy for his family, and joy in remembering some wonderful associations. I wanted to connect with others who had been moved by him. It’s not that he was a superior human being or more worthy than the others who died the same day he did; it’s that he had a personal impact on me and on others, and it felt good to open hailing frequencies with those others and share a moment of celebration of that impact.
Although I don’t have all that for Jack-o, I can see where his fans might be feeling something similar to what I felt for Breck-o.
I agree with you.
I feel sorry for Michael Jackson just as much as for any other human being who dies.
Yes, I HAVE tweeted about such people, poor people who froze to death in my state this year, people suffering things in other countries I, in America, will probably never have to suffer. People I personally know whom I loved and have lost.
Did they get responses or retweets? Nope. Why? I really don’t know.
Do I care about Michael Jackson? Yes. Why? Because of his amazing talent, sure, but even more because of the abuse he suffered, because he so feared his father’s belt that he would throw up, because he literally supported his family while he was still in grade school, and because all of that was extremely public and wide-spread knowledge. But mostly for the a reason you stated: because he was a fellow human being and suffered so much pain.
I care about them ALL.
For those that suggest that Michael (or anyone) is more valuable than you, imagine you and Michael sitting face to face having a conversation. In this conversation Michael is telling you all the reasons why he is just a more valuable person than you and you really need to accept that fact. Sounds absurd? Then why do people do this to themselves? Don’t we convince ourselves that others are more valuable than we are?
Now have that same conversation and try to explain to the homeless person that YOU are the more valuable one. For those who are God believers, picture explaining that one to the Almighty!
I’m all over the place here because some more salient points. Just to reiterate I don’t condone anybody for feeling down or Tweeting RIP.
You don’t condone them? Do you mean you don’t condemn them?
@ Angela – Well you may have me on a slight technicality there. I was using the olde English meaning from 2,675 BC seldom used these days because it means something completely different.
In the end-Michael Jackson was another fifty year old man on a slab. No more, no less. Talent, money, fame-in the end it all makes no difference. What makes a difference is now, here, in front of you. Do something now-there may not be a tomorrow to do it in.
@ Tim, I use that same dictionary so I totally demur with you.
I did not know Michael Jackson. I didn’t bother to listen to his music. It never was my sort of thing. I just simply don’t care. My reaction to his dying was “yeh? Useful information I guess.”
What I object to is having his memory thrown about at me, like he was the greatest thing, where the day before he died he was the freak show he’d been for 25 years. Anyone going on like he was the saviour of the world is suspect as a human being to me and I daresay they’ve got their priorities in life out of whack.
Here’s my two cents: Much ado about nothing! You guys seem to have way too much time on your hands…
By the way, since we are engaged in wasting time:
Why did Jackson call one of his albums “Bad”? Because he didn’t know how to spell “Pathetic”!
Intellectually you make some very good points. It is obvious though that millions felt connected to MJ on a personal, emotional level. His music, videos and public persona drew fans worldwide who truly feel that they have lost a loved one and thus they grieve his passing as they would someone they are close to.
Funny thing I heard. I understand that MJ was broke but with the explosion of sales due to a resurrection of interest from his death, his estate should be able to pay all his depths. How great for Paris, Prince and the Blanket. I shall sleep better tonight.
And I will continue to wonder how I’m going to pay the next trip to the bleeding grocery store.
[...] I don’t care about Michael Jackson – ADaringAdventure – Not what you might think it is about. This post by Tim Brownson echoed my own thoughts exactly which is why I have included it here and also the fact that Tim has a brilliant blog worth visiting every few days. [...]