Jackson’s legacy more than just controversy
Column by CJ Conklin
He was, is and always will be the “King of Pop.†With the No. 1 selling album of all times in “Thriller,†Michael Jackson is an icon within the music industry.
From his childhood performances of “ABC†with the Jackson Five, to his unforgettable “Thriller†video that millions still act out today, his musical capabilities were nothing short of spectacular.
But with the release of his movie “This Is It†over the past weekend, I realized what the movie aimed for, as well as another, less pleasing, realization: what people actually remember about Michael Jackson.
Don’t get me wrong, I laughed when I watched the South Park episode “The Jeffersons†as much as anybody else. The episode depicts some of the accusations Jackson faced later in life, as well as the other negative aspects regarding him. In the episode, “Mr. Jefferson,†who is understood to be Michael Jackson, has an amusement park in his backyard, has a slumber party with children and has a deteriorating nose that eventually falls off at the end of the episode.
As I watched it, I realized that this is what many people are going to remember about Michael Jackson: the landslide he took throughout the latter part of his life.
That’s not the legendary musician I choose to remember, though. Jackson had 13 No. 1 hits, and was even given the title of “Entertainer of the Decade†in the Guinness Book of World Records (for the 1980s). He performed in front of millions all around the world and died on the brink of his first tour in over a decade. Those are facts that will fill record books for years to come, and thus will never be forgotten. But even that is not what I choose to remember him for.
Jackson was more than a song, a stage or a record, and he was definitely more than hundreds of bad, yet funny, jokes. In the simplest terms, Jackson was a symbol. He was a symbol of change and hope, which he demonstrated through his music and character.
Jackson, in the song “Man in the Mirror,†says, “Take a look at yourself, and then make a change.†He seemed to believe that each individual is responsible for contributing to making the world a better place.
The world is made up of all of us, and if each person does something then all of us can do anything. But even more important, perhaps, than the goal itself, was his genuine belief that we could accomplish it.
How do we do it? “It’s all about the l-o-v-e,†Jackson says in his new movie, over and over again. He believed that the simplest way to make a change was to show a little more love.
Almost every time he talked he ended by saying, “I love you,†or “God bless.†Sure, it’s simple, but it made every person he worked with smile. We’re not on the horizon of world peace; not now and not ever. It is individuals like Jackson, though, that bring a different, more realistic concept to the forefront: world improvement.
So after you tell a plastic surgery (“How many different noses did he have?) or child abuse (“You mean, his best friend wasn’t McCaully Caulkin?â€) joke at the expense of Michael Jackson, take a second to remember him for something else, something better. Take a second to remember the man that thought we could each be the change the world needs, and that taught us,“It’s all about the love.â€
you know, it’s really unfortunate that so many people, news networks, etc. choose to overlook this part of Michael Jackson that was so consistently there throughout his entire life. everything else is basically hearsay and will never be proven, but this is something about him that can never be questioned or taken away. he more or less dedicated his life to trying to reach out to people and make the world a better place and it’s really refreshing to see an article like this one that points that out. great work!
CJ Conklin, you are an accountant. I would have expected a different analysis from you regarding Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson left two savvy business men to manage his estate. This is translating into managing his legacy. While it maybe too soon to tell, what I have seen them do; thus far, is amazing. From the moment he passed, they were on top of managing his affairs. They have already brought in 90 millions dollars to his estate.
There is only one way to determine what Michael Jackson will be. That is how much money his estate earns. It will earn billions. You have to know this; Michael’s fan base is multi-generational. Many of his fans are children who never heard about the ridiculous scandal and they don’t care.
I was in a grocery store one evening. There a six year old sitting on the floor with a magazine in front of him. It was a magazine featuring Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson music will outlast the lifetime of the baby boomers. Once they are dead and gone, no one will remember anything negative. You have to know, you are writing about the most famous person to every walk this planet in life. He was more famous in life than Jesus Christ was. Jesus Christ, in life, was only famous in Rome. Michael Jackson was famous in life around the globe.
I am happy to read an aritcle that speaks about the man’s heart and not about the hear says and the not so funny jokes. He was a flawed human just like all of us. But I have learned alot from listening to Michael Jackson. I learned never to Judge anyone and to be careful with my words.. Thank you for your wonderful article.
hear hear…! great article mr. conklin. you said the one thing which is important. forget the noses, the surgesries, the accusations…all of that….he was first and last a great musician. and tahts what every introduction to MJ will say.