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发表于 2009-7-28 07:25:07
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Many may ask why this controversial figure, a man who has been the subject of intense criticism and public backlash, should be given such gravity in framing public discourse over the day’s most important topics. Sometimes it takes one person, not just a political or spiritual leader, who stands out symbolically from the rest of society, to make that society reflect on the principles that it follows and the values it embraces. Jackson, throughout his life and in his death, has been ridiculed and revered, vilified and vaunted. In many respects, his story represents the highest possible highs and the lowest possible lows that life can present to a human being. Michael Jackson’s tremendous talent, success, wealth and public adoration were at odds with his extreme loneliness, fear, addiction and destruction of reputation by public opinion. In the end though, Michael Jackson was much more than an entertainer. His contributions to the entertainment field are no doubt profound. However, it is his broad cultural impact that truly transcends economic, social, political, racial, religious and generational barriers. Jackson rose from being simply a magical performer into becoming a humanitarian of historic import. He was a modern day messenger, a visionary storyteller who raised the level of consciousness for citizens across national boundaries. This level of contribution is what the social contract demands of those who are blessed with natural gifts, power and wealth. Shouldn’t we then embrace and support people who are destined for this life mission instead of deriding them? As history progresses and Jackson’s symbol and work are analyzed in conjunction with the unfolding of human events, the important cultural relevance of his persona will be uncovered. Like a piece of classic Greek literature that embodies timeless themes of human striving and suffering, Michael Jackson’s canon and celebrity will come to hold a similar place in the modern day cultural pantheon. Why then was it necessary to shoot the messenger?
Martin Bashir’s highly controversial 2003 TV documentary, ‘Living with Michael Jackson’ is just one of the many examples of the ways in which Jackson was unfairly portrayed in the media. The documentary was a PR nightmare for the star. Bashir’s video interviews and commentary were cleverly edited as to purposely paint Jackson as a megalomaniac child molester. The film focused, in a highly negative manner, on the abuse Jackson suffered as a child at the hands of his father, the rumors behind his drastic physical transformation, his intense friendships with young boys, the nature of his past romantic relationships and questions concerning the genetic lineage of his children, among other sensitive topics. Bashir conveniently cut out footage that presented a countervailing impression of Jackson. Bashir’s documentary and Michael Jackson’s subsequent rebuttal, in the form of a TV special hosted by Maury Povich, provide a candid, never before seen glimpse into what made this man tick. In many respects, Michael Jackson was a lonely soul who found the greatest comfort isolated behind the gates of his Neverland ranch and in the company of animals, children, carnival rides and opulent possessions. In the last years of his life, Jackson became reclusive to the point that he was unable to function even within celebrity society due to the immensity of his fame and the parasitic attention drawn by even the briefest public appearance. Examining these interviews, it becomes clear that Michael Jackson is one of the most misunderstood figures in modern day popular culture.
The incessant media backlash against Michael Jackson throughout his career and now in his death is driven by the fact that Jackson, as a symbolic figure, forces us to look in the mirror and face the difficult and sometimes intractable problems of our society and in ourselves that we may not want to acknowledge. How dare he? Jackson brilliantly shines light on civilization’s accomplishments and failures in their most extreme forms. To be repulsed by the drastic transformation of his face was to simultaneously recognize the excessiveness of a beauty obsessed culture that allows money to change even the most fundamental components of our DNA. When looking and commenting on his mask, weren’t we also secretly acknowledging both the literal and figurative masks that we sometimes hide behind? Ironically, Michael Jackson’s physical changes led him to be branded as an “oddity” or “freak” by a media culture that promotes physical perfection through any means necessary. As Jackson proclaimed during his interviews with Bashir, “Plastic surgery was not invented for Michael Jackson!”
The child molestation charges brought against Jackson first in 1993 and again in 2005, for which he was skewered and roasted by the media and public, were baseless extortion attempts fueled by the petty greed and jealousy of his accusers. Despite settling the 1993 case and being acquitted of the 2005 charges, Michael Jackson’s commercial appeal and public image were severely damaged by the allegations. The child molestation charges against Jackson represented a modern day witch hunt in its most base form. Unfortunately for Jackson, the hunt was not localized to Salem but played out globally through the aid of modern media technology. The molestation charges were fueled by likely feelings of inadequacy in the parents of the alleged child victims who were so enamored by Jackson. Perhaps these parents did not believe that they could compete with the love and material fantasy that Michael Jackson provided to their children which caused them to lash out in desperation. Jealousy combined with greed is highly combustible. The media’s depiction of Michael Jackson as a plastic surgery obsessed eccentric made him an easy target and an unsympathetic victim. It just wasn’t believable that someone that acted and looked like him could be kind, sensitive, compassionate and loving. What was the motivation behind it all? What was wrong with him? There had to be something askew. What if Michael Jackson’s motivation was simply to give hope to those less fortunate? Was all of this then just the senseless destruction of a human being to satisfy our insecurities and quell our fears of the unknown and misunderstood.
As we reflect upon Michael Jackson’s life and now death, it is difficult not to feel sad for the man and view him in a tragic light. With all of his power, wealth and fame, he now lies before us like a bird crushed after being pelted repeatedly by outsized stones. Dejected, Jackson continued to turn inward, fearful of what the world he cared so deeply about changing for the better was throwing at him. The drugs just served as an opiate to the pain of an artist and humanitarian that was overburdened by a mission that he didn’t believe he accomplished. Addicted, it was the greed of those surrounding Michael Jackson who continued to indulge his desires out of self-preservation. The numbness of the painkillers relieved the ache caused by knowing that despite what he sought to give and change in the society around him, the burden of his creations and the scathing critique it engendered had become too overwhelming for one person to sustain. Michael Jackson was a modern Sisyphus, the loin clothed man condemned to repeatedly pushing a rock up a mountain only to see it roll back down. Sadly though, our Sisyphus collapsed under the weight of his struggle.
Michael Jackson was inflated to the position of a pop deity, a mythical figure, only to be crucified and stoned by the media gods who created his success. His bold eccentricities lied outside of the norm of standard, socially acceptable behavior but were they necessarily illegal or wrong? No. Most of Michael Jackson’s actions were unconventional yet, at the same time, wasn’t the grandeur of his celebrity and global status beyond anything that modern day culture has ever witnessed? His grandeur, his eccentricity, each influenced and exaggerated the other.
It is undeniable that Michael Jackson’s immense celebrity and wealth allowed him to remove himself from mainstream society and observe the world from a privileged vantage point. Sometimes though, it takes that fortunate but isolated position to be able to make the least polluted social observations and ultimately produce the most effective societal commentary through art. Throughout history, the work and lives of multiple artists have been ridiculed and scorned by the public during their heyday, only to be placed posthumously into the canon of the Greats. It is without doubt that Michael Jackson will, in due course, garner this same level of critical acclaim as an artist and most importantly, as a humanitarian.
Matt Semino is a New York attorney and legal commentator. He is a graduate of Columbia Law School , Cornell University and is a Fulbright Scholar. |
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狗仔卡
发表于 2009-7-28 07:24:21
变色卡
显身卡
发表于 2009-7-28 08:53:47
谷歌吗？