No One Who Was Normal Ever Made History: A Tribute to Michael Jackson

I was shocked! And I'm sure you were too, hearing about Michael Jackson's death. But the more I thought about it...there were, unfortunately, too many warning signs for any one of us to really be that shocked.

Almost immediately, the news began recounting the many controversies of his turbulent life. Michael changed the world of music as much if not more than any other performer -- that point is not in contention. Despite the many dramas and accusations lobbied against him over the years (most significantly regarding his relationship with young boys) and even in the midst of what had been disappointing music sales, Michael Jackson never lost his title of the "King of Pop."

I remember watching the video for "Thriller" in utter amazement when it was released on MTV back in 1983. Never before had there been anything even close to this mini-movie in terms of style and talent. As hard as I tried, I never could figure out how to do that darn moonwalk.

Very few people could understand Michael's enigmatic life, and I'm not suggesting that I'm unique in that regard. However, as a student of history, what I do understand is that Michael's life, when considered within the broader scope of highly creative people throughout history, was not really that unusual after all.

For instance, let's consider Friedrich Nietzsche, the German existentialist born in 1844. Throughout his life, he was continually frail and plagued with illness, a consummate recluse, an alcoholic and considered very controversial for his day. His ideas on God made him a complete outcast to the conservative majority of his day. In college, I devoured Nietzsche mostly because he was provocative and deep. I also thought it was cool to be controversial. "That which does not kill us makes us stronger" became my mantra. Ultimately, Nietzsche suffered a psychotic breakdown, had two strokes which partially paralyzed him and died of pneumonia, still in his 50s.

Consider Walt Whitman, the nineteenth-century transcendentalist poet who continues to be one of the most influential poets in the world today. Yet in his time, many thought him to be a madman. His homosexuality or possible bisexuality just didn't fly in the Civil War years. He refused to commit himself to any one religion, stating that all were equally valuable. He spent considerable time alone, and after suffering a stroke near the end of his life, he was too weak to even lift a fork and knife. He wrote, "I suffer all the time: I have no relief, no escape: it is monotony -- monotony -- monotony -- in pain." He died of pneumonia as well.

In the realm of religion, consider the Christian prophet, the man known as Jesus. He was born of Jewish descent, and yet he was constantly breaking Jewish laws and butting heads with the religious leaders of his own heritage. Jesus too is documented on several occasions as going off by himself and spending significant time in solitude. In one particular case, he spent 40 days and nights in the desert fasting. Pretty extreme. As you know, he was ultimately sentenced to death by crucifixion.

We could certainly discuss more examples. While some may say that Michael Jackson shouldn't be considered in this crowd, I submit to you that Michael made every bit as much impact on the field of music and race relations as any of these greats did in their particular fields.

The point is that those who leave a major impact on the world are not marching to the same drum as the mass majority.

They often, as with Michael, live controversial and turbulent lives, and they're often greatly misunderstood. Isn't it unfortunate that if someone is 10 feet ahead, they're considered a leader, but if someone is 10 miles ahead, a target? Michael certainly had his share of playing the target for the media. It's easy to take shots at those at the top, particularly if they're "different enough."

Even though Michael was acquitted on all counts in his court cases, it didn't matter. He would still be plagued with negative comments and jabs. The very creativity that brought the moonwalk, highly produced choreography and music that emotionally moved all ages and races was the same unique mind that drove him to live a very different life that defied societal norms.

In a nutshell, when you're a unique thinker, you have a very hard time relating to mass consciousness. Small talk becomes painful, and your inner world more fulfilling than your outer world. This results in behavior that's often misinterpreted as being aloof, arrogant or sometimes downright weird, which is too bad because people have no idea how very lonely it can be at the top. Furthermore, the contributions of many of these leaders are often never appreciated until long after they're gone.

Howard Gardner's research from Harvard University suggests that there are eight distinct types of intelligences. Musical intelligence is one of Gardner's eight categories. While most of the eight are not measured in school or society at large, except math and linguistic intelligence, they are all equally important and valuable.

It's well known in the studies of human consciousness that, to quote Ken Wilbur, "the greater the depth you have, the less the span." In other words, when you're supremely brilliant in one particular area, you may show deficits in other areas. Read accounts of Einstein getting lost on his own campus walking from one class to the next, and you'll see that the structure of genius takes tremendous depth while often leaving little room for the "less important" issues of life.

What often appears to be dysfunctional to the mass majority may just be the hyper-functional behaviors of a true genius with great depth in his field and a lack of concern or ability to relate in the more mundane things of life.

So here's to the memory of a musical genius, a unique human being that will be an icon for generations. May we always remember as Michael told us in his music that to make a positive change in the world, we must first start with "the man in the mirror."

Thank you, Michael.

May you find the peace in the next life that you rightfully deserve. You made a positive difference. You leave a lasting legacy. While few understood you, you ignited our spirit and touched our emotions with your upbeat message and music. Your gifts will continue to play in our minds and hearts forever.

Follow James Arthur Ray on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JamesARay

Comments

[Brenda]

As always James great article!

[PamL430]

Thank you James for that compassionate and thought provoking tribute to Michael Jackson. I have been a fan for most of my life (we're the same age), through all of his triumph and controversy. While there are things I don't understand about some of his choices, I never doubted his sincerity about the ideals of peace and love for humanity. It amazes me how the media can be such a double edged sword; it can help propel a person to stardom, and then spin the context of that person's life events to cut them to the quick! Law of polarity I guess. But even beyond the controversies, some of which we may never know the truth about, the people in my world are now shocked, saddened, and playing his music and videos in tribute.

All in all, I believe his artistic gifts to us will far outshine the controversy, and will be celebrated and enjoyed by many future generations. May his essence continue the journey in peace and joy. And James, I could never get that moonwalk either!

Happy Independence Day!
Pam

[JerseyGirl4Obama]

Such a wonderfully insightful article. I'm glad I had a chance to read it. I could say much more but your article says it for me...

[Minalora]

I first heard Michael on a static underground radio station called "The Free Europe".
It was Billy Jean. I thought "Wow this sounds great!" and it did in spite of the bad reception. :)
At the time I was living in Europe however in a place that was more like a prison rather than a country. When a teen comes into young years and the wonders of life are supposed to start we were sinking deeper and deeper into darkness. Michael was a ray of light. The sound of a promise that there is something behind the walls, there is hope... there is life. If not for him and others (thank you Madonna, Bonnie Tyler, Bangles, Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel...and many many more of the "80s light" ...) many of us would have never made it.
...sigh... 19 years fast forward... I just realised how many painful memories I've blocked over the years...then forgotten all about it. This tribute to MJ brings a smile to my soul, and the realisation that everything, including darkness, has a reason. How can we appreciate light if there's no darkness?
Thank you Michael, thank you James. :)

[radsun]

Please forgive us Michael, like you, we are prisoners of our past.
I am happy now that perhaps you are free.
I love you and I hope you are up there with Rockin' Robin.
Rockin' in the Heavens all night long.

[MNikololff]

Michael was so much like, "Powder", to me. If you had seen the movie you would know what I mean, he did not know negativity - and it was not apart of his pyschic.

Michael I wish you did not have to go - you gave me reasons to dance the "night away' in the 80's
as my grand daughter said, " in her blog" it a shame MJ has to die to get some good music in the
clubs.

Thank you Michael, Thank you and I know you are smiling down

[DeLaCroce]

Michael has the world's attention. So much of his memory is tarnished by the obvious but through that, can we still see the gift his life brought?? He embodied and embraced the power we each have to heal each other and our world through love and acceptance. Are we now perhaps a bit more aware of this privilege to treasure every opportunity to make a difference? We have a choice. Thank you Michael, through the pain of your life experiences, you still saw this value, and still serve mankind with that beautiful reminder.

[sshaler]

Thank you for your thoughtful and true perspective on genius. And , in addition to musical genius, Michael Jackson contributed awareness to environmental issues, social issues and millions of dollars to worthy causes.

[alix2001]

My God you put into word just what I've been feeling all along. even told my sister that this was no ordinary individual and as such Michael had to live the life that he lived and died the way that he died!!! He came unto this world and we did not understand him! Remind me of the story about Jesus....He shared that essence of being so many miles ahead of us! Even the accusations about his pedophilia: if one looks at that interview he gave to this british jerk of a journalist, I understood what he meant but oh I just knew that his words would be used againt him: You sleep with young boys then you have to be SEXUALLY into them...anyway, he was a genius!!!! People like that don't live commonly nor do they die commonly

[truthartbeauty]

I do not think Michael was a pedophile. I think he was too kind to do that, and he was just a uniquely sensitive person who was very misunderstood. he definitely enjoyed and encouraged the mistique about him, the eccentricities, but not the ugly parts of it, calling him a pedophile. I think he had great fortune and great sadness but mostly I will always think of him as a very sensitive and gentle person.

[blaqntelligence]

Mr. Ray,
Thank you.
These words, strung together in this fashion, spoke aloud what I've long felt.
Nebulous...
Something felt rather than known.....
Incapable of ordering my feelings in any coherent manner.....Yet, here they are.

[Redheadwithopinions]

Poignant..­moving..an­d so true of our great minds. A wonderful tribute to Michael Jackson.

[mazaza]

"the greater the depth you have, the less the span." That's a very interesting and central notion to understanding big artists, intellectuals... But there is a difference between "societal norms" (what's considered "normal" by.... "the herd" ??? at some point in history) and ethics.... and a troubling ambivalence between purportedly wanting to make people happy (through sharing music) and botching your face and buying yourself three children.... And the question that remains : how many "geniuses" can the media and the collective mind handle at a given time ? Is there space for more than a handful of them ? How many deterred ?

[fuel4thefire]

Excellent commentary; he transcended his own unhealthy narcissism, his own being, and many millionse got that and related to that - he was a creative genius in dance, design, choreography, song-writing, and live performance; his unique creative ideas are confirmed through recent interviews with Quincy Jones, John Landis, and variety of choreographers;

Other creative narcissists; Picasso broke through barriers and created 4-5 different schools of art, but he was not a nice guy ( putting it mildly); Alfred Stieglitz the great 19th-20th photographer was a controlling SOB, but he helped legitimize photography as a fine art and propel his muse and wife, Georgia O'Keefe into the New York art scene; Ayn Rand is a well-known narcissist and also not nice woman ( again, restrained language here) but she wrote compelling books and commentary; Frank Lloyd Wright was also extremely self-centered and as any narcissist worth his salt, would take credit for his "students" and associates ideas and work;

Bright and talented people often go their own way as their talents and gifts guide them and they are not guided by others; they can be selfish and self-destructive, but often the greatest ones make cultural impact that survive the generation in which they lived;

[Darwin48]

"In a nutshell, when you're a unique thinker, you have a very hard time relating to mass consciousness."
-Again, I ask, how was he a "unique thinker"? He was groomed since childhood to be an entertainer....in that respect, mayeb the fatehr was the "unique thinker".
I don't think Michael had a unique thought since he started singing with his brothers. This is a person surrounded by "Yes" people his whole life.
And people will get mad at me...but by elevating him and others, you've put them on some kind of pedestal...and made him out to be this genius. Geniuses don't have people prescribe them drugs that slowly kill them.
This was a talented person, and we forgave a lot of bizarre behaviour because he could sing...as if to say, "do what you want, but just moonwalk for us...we love you"
I mean, "I don't know if he was guilty of child molestation, but he sure could moonwalk" is all you can say of a 40 year plus career?
That's like saying, "I don't know if OJ killed his wife, but man, he sure could run on the field"

Also, I like reading Nietzsche too, but that "illness" was syphlis
and drove him insane.

[reader110]

He was a unique thinker. He wrote his own songs and choreographed his own videos. He helped to break down racial barriers. He was the first truly global entertainer. Part of his "uniqueness" was the way he lived his life and the way in which he interacted (or didn't interact) with others.

You say he was a talented person. His talent makes him unique - who was the template for Michael Jackson? No one.

He left behind a huge body of work, which others have attempted to emulate. That also makes him unique, otherwise why would others try to be like him?

As for his father, there's nothing unique about a parent exploiting his children. But it's what came later, after Michael started a solo career, that makes him unique.

The videos he created in the 80s were completely unique. No one before or since has been able to generate the same kind of excitement.

[Dupree]

Co-signed and dated: 6/30/09

[JimR]

Just to give credit where credit is due... He wrote SOME of his own songs. Many of his big hits were penned by other composers, notably Rod Temperton.

[Darwin48]

So, there were no black performers before him? James Brown? And it seemed that later in his career, "black performer" was the last thing he wanted ot be seen as.
HUge body of work? VH1 played the same 6 videos over and over. If this is such a huge body of work.
Yes, I admit he was a talented guy. And he did have a global appeal..but I don't see where he changed music, or anything else.
I have seen plenty of videos as good or even better than his.
I'm sure he helped sell a lot of Pepsi.
he was unique, I'm not sure what he was trying to prove with the plastic surgery.
As far as 'surpassing his father"...Let's see, with his family, he danced and sang...and out on his own he...danced and sang. Yes, large leap.
As far as emotion...watch the "We Are the World" video..Springsteen evokes much more emotion than Michael.
Again, I admire his talent, but I don't think he changed much in music.