Comments on: Michael Jackson Dead Aged 50

By: Gareth J M Saunders

Gareth J M Saunders — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:46:13 +0000

For someone with such immense musical talent, as undoubtedly he had, and who had amassed such a considerable wealth, as evidenced by his Neverland ranch. It did always bother me that he could never find trousers that fit him properly. Always just that little bit too short.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:37:18 +0000

indeed – hence the t-shirt-worthiness Arcane info, when people know why its significant, you have true connection ha!

By: Kevin Charles Dunford

Kevin Charles Dunford — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:32:54 +0000

But incredibly I find out that I was taught by the man that taught Jackson.

By: Dancing Monk

Dancing Monk — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:32:56 +0000

People have moments of inspiration that don’t normally stay through out a life. For MJ it lasted through the 80s but he was out of the loop for the last 15 years or so

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:29:01 +0000

‘genius’ is a loaded term. Measurable by IQ for ‘intellectual genius’, but harder to measure for genius in the arts or ‘physical genius’…

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:28:07 +0000

re: the comments people are giving – it’s become a bizarrely unmeasurable free-for-all, it seems, where the heartfelt thoughts of those who cared about him are buried under the nonsensical ramblings of a bunch of fans and attention-seekers, former staff and random celebs…

I’m fascinated by the processes of ‘public mourning’ and the number of people willing to hijack that process for their own ends…

Also of interest to me is the way that the language we use to describe someone we never knew at all can change overnight, thanks to their death… May have to explore this more in a proper blog post at a later date.

Otir, thank so much for posting – it’s lovely to read your thoughts here xx

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:24:37 +0000

“Jeffrey Daniels taught me to moonwalk in a pub in Maida Vale.”

I’d be getting that on a t-shirt if I was you

By: Wulf

Wulf — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:55:24 +0000

A tragic loss? I’m not sure. I think the tragedies of Michael Jackson life took place long ago, when his childhood was sacrificed on the hit-machine altar and his sanity was allowed to fester inside gold-lined walls. Some people are going to miss out on another evening’s over-priced entertainment in July and August but, meanwhile, innocents are still being blown to pieces in Iraq or starving to death in poverty.

Michael Jackson’s death will be a sad loss to those who knew him personally but I’m not going to be spending any money rushing out to add his music to my collection.

By: Dancing Monk

Dancing Monk — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:33:40 +0000

And let’s not forget Thriller which redefined what video could do, broke the MTV colour bar & seriously impressed me & all my Prog Rock loving friends. Suddenly it opened up whole new areas of music to us. I still don’t like everything he did but it is undeniable the cultural impact & influence he had on the music industry.

Not sure about genius though.

By: Otir

Otir — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:06:06 +0000

/…/”Michael Jackson’s death is not just a terrible tragedy for three young children who will now be orphaned. It is also an American tragedy that affects us all. Our culture, in which fortune and fame readily eclipse family and life nurturing-values, is claiming an increasing number of casualties. There was a great beauty and gentility in Michael’s soul. His talents far surpassed those of his contemporaries and he yearned deeply to make the world a better place. I am saddened that the emotional pain he lived with prevented him from finding the meaning and connectedness which he longed for.

The saddest aspect to this tragedy is that so many watched it happen and few did anything to stop it. I pray that Michael’s death will not be in vain and that we see a return, even among Hollywood celebrities, to the spiritual and family values that are life sustaining.”

From the statement of Rabbi Shmuley Boteach who counselled Michael Jackson until 2001
Statement by rabbi Shmuley Boteach

Maybe these are not answering to your question, but I am struck at the comments that people who loved him and approached him are giving, in the light of Michael’s unexpected passing.