Things I’ve Learned From a Man I Never Knew

Love him or hate him, your life changed last Thursday when Michael Jackson, an icon of pop, rock, soul and r&b, left this world.  You’ll probably remember that day as the day that broke the internet.  In the week following, the media has been awash with stories of the man, his legend, and the music in between.  The frenzy has become somewhat ridiculous, but what DO you expect from the death of a man who spanned 3 generations of pop-culture?

When huge things happen – a war in a foreign country, the death of an icon, a massive natural phenomenon, etc – I find myself curious.  I want to learn as much as I can from the situation.  I found myself engrossed in reading about the life of a man who was often there on my Walkman, my Discman, my iPod, my party shuffle and constantly in the headlines (or tabloids) as I grew up.  He was Captain Eo – and my first recollection of Disneyland and 3D movies.  He was feared and accused … he did strange stuff and looked even stranger.  He hid from a society that loved him too much, and despised him even more.  For this legend (and media circus) to no longer exist seems surreal.

Through research, I discovered a lot of amazing things.  I opened my mind to knowledge and I got more insight on life than I’d bargained for.  In a number of his interviews and press releases, we see a man who was treated as a curiosity, but who has a wizened life philosophy that you wouldn’t expect from someone who was made into a “media freak show”.  We see a man tormented by loneliness and tabloid reports, who still had the capacity to love and forgive.  Whether or not he committed grand trespasses (child abuse, anyone?) or had his features re-shaped a number of times isn’t important here.  What’s important is that his music touched so many and it’s a shame that his words and his beliefs haven’t made the same impact -as they should have.

I’m clipping you a few excerpts – quotes from an interview – that really explain a lot about his life philosophy and struck a deep chord with me.  It’s not about whether I’m a fan or not, whether he’s a criminal or not, whether you hate him or love him; it’s about what these words meant to me (and hopefully will mean to you).

[On being made into a monster by the media]

Michael: I do forgive. There’s so much garbage and so much trash that’s written about me it is so untrue, they’re complete lies, and those are some of the things I wanted to talk about. The press has made up so much…God…awful, horrifying stories…it has made me realize the more often you hear a lie, I mean, you begin to believe it…  You know, don’t judge a person, do not pass judgement, unless you have talked to them one on one. I don’t care what the story is, do not judge them because it is a lie... I’m willing to forgive the press, or forgive anybody, I was taught to love and forgive, which I do have in my heart…

[On why he loved helping kids through his Heal The World Foundation - and not like that, you perverts - he was never convicted of abuse]

Michael: Well, thank you. I, I love to do things for children and I try to imitate Jesus – I am not saying I am Jesus, I’m not saying that… I’m trying to imitate Jesus in the fact that he said to be like children, to love children, to be as pure as children and to make yourself as innocent and to see the world through eyes of wonderment and the whole magical quality of it all… [and later in the interview] I find in animals the same thing I find so wonderful in children. That purity, that honesty, where they don’t judge you, they just want to be your friend. I think that is so sweet.

[On how his fans affect him]

Michael: Love. You just feel lots of love, and I feel blessed and honoured to be able to be an instrument of nature that was chosen to give them that, what I give them. I’m very honoured and happy about that… My purpose?  … I think um, to give in the best way I can through song and through dance and through music. I mean, I am committed to my art. I believe that all art has as it’s ultimate goal the union between the material and the spiritual, the human and the divine. I believe that to be the reason for the very existence of art.

[On what he wanted to be known for and what he "knows for sure"]

Michael: As to be an artist, a great artist. I, I love what I do and I would love people to love what I do and to be loved. I just simply want to be loved wherever I go. All over the world, because I love people of all races from my heart with true affection…what do I know for sure?  …Oh boy, I’m still learning. I mean, life is an education for me. I can’t say that I know anything for sure. I really believe that.

There’s a lot to be learned from someone with this philosophy in life.  Love him or hate him, hopefully you’ll realize the wisdom in these words.

Link to the interview!