On Thursday afternoon, Michael Jackson died. Since then, the world seems to have gone crazy. I watched Good Morning America yesterday morning, and the only thing they talked about was his death. Usually when they cover a major story, they take a small break to tell about the other news happening in the world. But they didn't even do that. The only story they covered was Jackson's death.In fact, listening to major media would make one think that Jackson was universally loved and respected. I seem to be the only person who disagrees. Although I own scores of CDs and like all kinds of music, I have never owned a Michael Jackson record or CD nor have I ever had a desire to own one.
I guess he had a certain amount of talent, but I can think of hundreds of singers and songwriters that I think were more talented. Just a couple of weeks ago the great blues singer, Koko Taylor (pictured), died and the news media ignored it. Was Jackson so much more deserving?
I also think Jackson was a child molester, who was able to use his enormous wealth to avoid being convicted of it. All in all, I just didn't consider him hero material.
Am I the only one thinking like this? What do you think?
You are not alone. Commenting this a.m. at eschaton, the whole group of us was relieved to find other things to talk about. I had never seen 'Thriller', now have seen it about eighty times. I never wanted to see it. The one who's really loving this treatment; Gov. Sanford.
ReplyDeleteNo, you're not the only one.
ReplyDeleteIn the midst of the Michael Jackson mania, the mainstream media seems to have all but overlooked the narrow passage of the Cap and Trade bill by the House. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with cap and trade, if the Senate follows suit, this could have an enormous impact, not only on this country but the entire world.
And you're right that "the world seems to have gone crazy." Michael Jackson was the lead story on both the German evening news program Tagesschau and the news magazine Tagesthemen, complete with archival footage and live reports from Los Angeles. The podcast of the Mexican news program Noticieros Televisa likewise led with the Michael Jackson story.
Michael Jackson was a talented entertainer, but as you pointed out with the example of Koko Taylor, there are lots of talented entertainers whose deaths gone virtually unnoticed.
So why does Michael Jackson get all the coverage? For the same reason that Paris Hilton, Brittney Spears and Lindsay Lohan all do. Notoriety. For reasons I don't fully understand, the bizarre and outrageous behavior of these celebritries captures the attention of the public more than their talent (or, in the case of Paris Hilton, the lack thereof).
There are other factors at play (e.g. sychophants that exploit celebrities and allow them to make bad choices rather than take them to task), but until society values talent over bad behavior, there will always be a media market for the Michael Jacksons of this world.
Me too. I felt the same way about when Ronald Reagan died and he had a bazillion funerals all in the same week-you couldn't turn on the teevee without seeing God, oops, I mean Reagan cultish behavior.
ReplyDeleteOne more while I'm at it. I feel the same way about Iran. We don't pay attention, as a country, to most elections, except when there's some big propaganda push being made (like Iraq and the purple fingers). And now all of a sudden we're examining Iran in great detail? Please. How about we put the same level of scrutiny into elections in OUR country.
ReplyDeletescsalon,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that slavish praise of individuals is wrong, be they entertainers (like Michael Jackson or Elvis Presley) or politicians (like Ronald Reagan or Barack Obama).
Conversely, heaping all the blame on one individual to the exclusion of others who share responsibility is equally wrong.
I'm reminded of the poem by Robert Frost, "Choose Something Like a Star" - especially the last four lines (which I've highlighted):
O Star (the fairest one in sight),
We grant your loftiness the right
To some obscurity of cloud –
It will not do to say of night,
Since dark is what brings out your light.
Some mystery becomes the proud.
But to be wholly taciturn
In your reserve is not allowed.
Say something to us we can learn
By heart and when alone repeat.
Say something! And it says "I burn."
But say with what degree of heat.
Talk Fahrenheit, talk Centigrade.
Use language we can comprehend.
Tell us what elements you blend.
It gives us strangely little aid,
But does tell something in the end.
And steadfast as Keats' Eremite,
Not even stooping from its sphere,
It asks a little of us here.
It asks of us a certain height,
So when at times the mob is swayed
To carry praise or blame too far,
We may choose something like a star
To stay our minds on and be staid.