Nothing important happened today
jewel June 26th, 2009
At least I hope not. Actually, I hope nothing important happens in the next few weeks because it will be completely overshadowed by the death of Michael Jackson. Maybe this sounds callus, but I’m not really sad that he died. I’m not dancing with joy or anything, but I’m not sad. I have no desire to listen to his music non-stop or watch the – no doubt – endless tributes on the television or even read very much on the internet. Except the autopsy report when that’s complete. That I’ll read. It’ll at least be new.
Yes, his music was good — at least what I remember of it — but he did everything he could to distance himself from who he was. Surgery after surgery after surgery, living out his Peter Pan fantasy; which got more than a little creepy, bleaching his skin… Maybe he hated himself so much that he figured if he changed himself enough on the outside, it would change who he was on the inside, I don’t know, but he had issues aplenty.
Even through his bizarre obsession with sleeping with little kids – and I don’t know if there was more to it, but it’s hard not to suspect – he remained insanely popular. In the eyes of so many, he couldn’t do wrong.
I was a big fan of Michael Jackson in the early to mid ’80′s. Thriller was my favorite album at the time and I wanted to see him in concert in the worst way. I never got to, but I’m ok with that. I lost interest sometime in the late ’80′s only keeping up a little bit with his goings on.
One thing I do hope is that his children find some sense of normalcy in their lives. I don’t have a lot of hope, but some.
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Funny, I just had the news on very briefly, and decided there was little hope of hearing about anything other than Michael Jackson. I don’t really understand the fascination folks hold for certain stars and their lives, especially those stars whose lives are dysfunctional. (I wonder how much stardom and the constant attention of fans contributes to that.)
I think I understand why the news loves such things – it’s easy reporting, and requires little effort. It was sad and disturbing seeing all the reporters waiting around for some new detail, no matter how trivial.
In some ways we live in an odd world, and a world that doesn’t seem to reflect well on our intelligence.
Clear skies, Alan
In a way, I think it helps people to feel better about themselves. Like if someone like him can be so flawed, then maybe they’re not so bad. Or their lives feel boring and insignificant and taking part in a mass-mourning makes them feel a part of something larger than themselves. Or, maybe we just haven’t really changed so much since the days of gladiators and public stoning’s. That’s rather what the whole “reality” tv thing reminds me of. And I really don’t understand the fascination with that.
Could be.
Friends finally gave up trying to convince me to watch a couple of “reality” shows, so I’m with you there. “Reality TV” is seriously mislabeled.
A late but interesting piece…
http://www.dailygazette.com/weblogs/foss/2009/sep/18/some-news-just-plain-dumb/
Clear skies, Alan
That was a good read — thanks! She’s right — there is way too much “news” out there that isn’t worth reading, much less reporting.
Glad you enjoyed it. I have been pawing around at
http://www.kokogiak.com/logolepsy/ and found a lovely word, nugatious, to describe such news. Logolepsy defines it as trivial, elsewhere it is expanded to trivial; unimportant or insignificant.
No Nugatious News!
Clear skies, Alan
Ha! I love learning obscure words.