Michael Jackson’s life and death have been analysed “to death” in the week since he passed away, and I suspect the media frenzy will continue as autopsy reports, estate wrangling and other details, fact and fiction, come to light in coming days.
It is not for me to comment on the man and his talented yet troubled life. Let him rest in peace. But I feel there is perhaps one insight that I can offer from my observations of the media circus and public outpouring of the last week.
I find it strange that a man who has been reviled and ignored by many for the past number of years after revelations of alleged “questionable behaviour” should DIE and instantly be elevated to SAINTHOOD, praised and lamented almost universally. Take a good look at yourselves, people. How can we vilify someone because of troubles in LIFE, and then instantly, on his death, talk about him in such glowing terms and how he will be so missed by the world.
Again, I am making no comment on Michael’s struggles, or passing judgement on “right or wrong”. I have not been appointed to be judge and jury for anyone other than myself, (thank God) and I wish others, particularly the media, would recognize their own lack of qualification and appointment in this area.
I am just saying that many people in the last few years wrote Michael Jackson off using words that were, shall we say, less than glowing. It is an acknowledged fact that many people in the industry shunned and avoided him, which often happens when there is even a hint of questionable behaviour; and that hurts, whether justified or not.
Then, when he dies, there is this outpouring of grief which is probably unprecedented in history in its universality, thanks to media and internet coverage. But my question: Is it GRIEF or is it GUILT. Are many feeling guilt over the way he was treated in the last years of his life … regardless of what he may have done or not done?
If I take one lesson out of Michael’s death it is this. Let’s treat people well IN LIFE regardless of how “weird” or how disenfranchised they appear. Let’s accept the PERSON even though we may challenge “unacceptable” behaviour. Let’s not wait till a person is dead until we say nice things and pay tribute to them. Let’s treat them well here and now, and say things now rather than later. And it seems to me, from the little I know, that this is what Michael tried to do in his life.
Only then will we know that what we are experiencing is GRIEF and not GUILT.
Now can we “let it go” and let him rest in peace? I doubt that will happen. Guilt takes a lot of alleviating, so the show goes on.
