It’s the eve of the one year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death and, yet, I’ve been strangely quiet on the subject. I say “strangely” because, first, I am a huge Michael Jackson fan and the fact that I wouldn’t have something to say on the subject is probably surprising, especially to those people who grew sick of hearing me talk endlessly about MJ in the days (or was it weeks?) after his death. Don’t get me wrong…I’m not one of those ca-ra-zee fans that wept over his every move or threatens to kill Dr. Conrad Murray. But I think I have watched Michael Jackson videos more than home videos of my own sons so that probably qualifies me as a big fan. Second, the anniversary of one of the biggest pop culture legends of all time is the type of thing that I would obsess over anyway, regardless of whether or not I was a fan. And, let’s face it, obsessing over pop culture minutiae is one of the reasons I launched this blog.
The fact is, I’ve been thinking about MJ a lot and could probably write a book on my thoughts about his death. But what’s the point? In the days preceding the anniversary of his death, every pop culture pundit will weigh in with their thoughts on the year since Michael’s passing. Media outlets will devote hours to covering the anniversary and MJ’s attention-hungry former hanger-ons will join Larry King and his ilk to share their memories of life with Michael. The tributes will range from fan-centered celebrations of Michael’s fabulous talent to bizarre spectacles that just defy explanation. I’m certain those dancing Philippine prison inmates are practicing a new dance routine as I write this.
So I don’t have much to add, except for a simple observation. I firmly believe that, to a large degree, fame and public attention helped to kill Michael Jackson. Of course, that’s a highly complex argument and you could rightfully argue that, he sought out that fame – all celebrities do – and if he couldn’t deal with it, then that was his own problem. The public certainly didn’t force him to take drugs, including Propofol, the lethal anesthesia drug that killed him. But with stars like Michael Jackson, there are more sensitive issues at work. It wasn’t just the fame that killed MJ, it was the intense public scrutiny and judgement that I believe helped to drive him over the edge. And I believe that this same tragedy has the potential to play out again and again.
Throughout his career, Michael Jackson received a lot of attention – a good deal of it negative. And, let’s face it, MJ didn’t do much to prevent negative attention or endless speculation on his lifestyle. While I firmly believe he never molested any child, even his most ardent supporters would have to admit that his behavior with children was unusual, bordering on dangerous. But he was a deeply flawed and tortured individual. We know some of the demons that plagued him – a demanding father, substance abuse, plastic surgery addiction – but I think there were many more issues lurking under that highly plasticized exterior that we could only guess at. My point is, we didn’t know the man. Not even the people closest to him could truly say that they knew him very well. But we judged him. Fans and detractors alike judged him. And what did we have by which to judge him? Questionable tabloid articles and sensationalized media coverage. Some awkward interviews orchestrated by a “journalist” (I use that term very loosely) with an agenda to advance his career. And, of course, a highly public criminal court case for which Michael was found not guilty by a jury of his peers. All of this drove a highly sensitive and damaged man to a lifestyle that could never end well. We have seen it happen before – Elvis, Judy Garland, countless rock stars – and it will happen again.
But it doesn’t have to keep happening. The fans, the people who consume pop culture madness can help stop it. Of course, we can’t hold interventions or conduct counseling on our favorite troubled stars to deliver them from their bad habits. But we can stop going to the Internet to write awful things about the latest celebrity trainwreck. We can stop buying tabloids and visiting repugnant websites – I won’t even link to or mention the worst of these but let’s just say he likes to print obscene pictures of underage pop stars that he has potentially doctored – that support this kind of online bullying. We can help to provide an environment for these stars that is more supportive, or at least relatively free of the kind of vitriol and hatred that helps to drive a troubled person deeper into their nosedive. If we do this, we might save a few crazy celebs. So what? But stopping online hate will do more than take some heat off of celebrities. It will help to create a less hateful and ugly online world where everyone can feel safer, not just celebrities. It might just create an environment where people can have productive discussions with civil disagreements.
I know what you’re probably saying…do I honestly believe that being nicer to celebrities online will help make the Internet a better place? Yes, I honestly do. Because if we stop to think about how our online words can hurt someone – celebrity and non-celebrity alike – and if we refrain from posting inflammatory and hateful words, other people will notice a more positive direction in the discussion and perhaps contribute their own positive thoughts. And the movement will build on itself, to help to create an online environment where hateful speech isn’t supported.
So the next time you want to flame someone online – a celeb, a poster who doesn’t share your opinion, your friend who said something hurtful on your Facebook page – don’t just think about how your posting will affect that person. Think about how your reaction will contribute to a broader online world and make a positive contribution instead.
Rest in peace, Michael. We speak your name.
DISCLAIMER: I don’t really watch Michael Jackson videos more than home movies of my own kids. I was just saying that for comic effect. Honestly. No, really, I’m telling the truth!
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