Michael Jackson’s “Man In The Mirror” opens: “I’m Gonna Make a Change, For Once In My Life, It’s Gonna Feel Real Good, Gonna Make A Difference, Gonna Make It Right . . .” Having planned to contemplate on and blog on how a superstar functions as our mirror, and conversely how we as a mass audience are mirrors for the superstar and what it means when the superstar checks out with regards to mirroring, you can imagine how I felt, when this Sunday, Reverend Michelle reminded us about “Man In The Mirror.”
The world is such an attractive mirror that I was surprised, and not surprised. Synchronicity is an old and welcome friend these days. I did smile pretty big though… (Full lyric available at http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/michaeljackson/maninthemirror.html, Rev. Michelle’s sermons are available at http://www.newvisionaz.org )
The lyric Rev. Michelle concentrated on were centered on Jackson’s “I’m Starting With The Man In The Mirror, I’m Asking Him To Change His Ways, And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer, If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place, Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change.” I had never considered this a spiritual message before, having been an atheist most of my life. Not sure how Jackson saw it. Was he taking responsibility? Was he spiritual?
I know what I believe now. I believe Michael saw us all in the mirror. And, we saw him. And, I believe, don’t you also, that we collectively must have agreed to let each other go…. Why?
Michael was 50 when he passed. I am 50. I recall a summer, back when I was about 14 years old, when we danced endlessly to “Rockin’ Robin.” I believe I have shared before how when someone we know commits suicide, the mirroring side of this is that somehow, we wanted to kill off that part of ourselves. What does it mean, when someone has achieved the pinnacle of success, admiration, scorn, what emotion hasn’t been wrapped into our passionate relationship with Jackson… what does it mean for us when he passes on at 50?
How do you feel we mirror a rock star? Someone who thrills us with “Thriller.” How is that our mirror? Without us, a superstar is just another starving unknown artist. So what are we to him? I have more questions than answers on this one and invite all comments. I believe we mirror. And, it is a mirror most of us invest a great deal of our lives looking into (how many English speaking people on the planet between the ages of 40-60 haven’t had Michael Jackson music or news directly on the brain, or subconsciously in the atmosphere like on the radio or in the elevator, or been otherwise engaged with Michael for hours and hours and hours of life? I know I have. And, he is gone. Michael is an icon who even in death, we carry with us. So, is he gone? Or do we still mirror him after his passing?
Why did we want him to go? He was to perform again in July, 09 in London. What might he have produced, yet again, that the world had never seen the like of? Neal Armstrong walked on the moon, yet Michael is known for the moon walk. Those of us old enough, remember the first time seeing the moon walk? I was amazed. And, if Michael was my mirror, was he showing me what I could do? I can moon walk, now, if I think on it. Thank you Michael.
What were we to Michael, that if we believe we choose our reality, he checked out at so young an age? When we expand this list to others we have known, like “The Fat Man on Saturday Night Live” Chris Farley, John Belushi, John Candy, what does this say about us?
Peace be with you,
Yucel