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World's Fuss Over Jackson 'False Emotion'

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 26, 2009 5:31 PM CDT
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(Newser) – The outpouring of grief over Michael Jackson’s death really has nothing to do with the singer, Hadley Freeman writes in the Guardian. Just look at him: “For the past 15 years, ever since the first child-abuse allegations,” Freeman writes, “he has been a figure of freakishness.” So what’s going on? It’s the desire for “A Big Event,” Freeman concludes, “something that will bring a sense of community.”

The most obvious precedent is Princess Diana, but at least when she died she was still “a beloved figure in the eyes of most people.” Of the “Diana Moment,” Freeman writes, “it’s impossible not to suspect that the excitement at just being part of a collective moment exacerbated it beyond any reasonable limits.” The hubbub is even more quixotic and shows “that the desire for collective emotion leads only to false emotion.”

Fans of Michael Jackson watch as people perform a dance in his memory during a memorial to commemorate him in central London's Trafalgar Square.
Fans of Michael Jackson watch as people perform a dance in his memory during a memorial to commemorate him in central London's Trafalgar Square.   (AP Photo)
Fans of Michael Jackson dance during a memorial to commemorate him outside a central London train station.
Fans of Michael Jackson dance during a memorial to commemorate him outside a central London train station.   (AP Photo)
Two women sob at a sidewalk shrine at the star of Michael Jackson on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Two women sob at a sidewalk shrine at the star of Michael Jackson on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.   (AP Photo)
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One of the interesting twists to the multiplicity of media now available 24 hours a day, coupled with the diminished importance of religion in most people's lives, the idea of A Big Event is more desirable than ever. - Hadley Freeman

When Diana died, she was still—despite the unexpected alliance with the al-Fayed family—a beloved figure in the eyes of most people. Jackson has, outside the circle of his impressively devoted fans, never really claimed that mantle.
- Hadley Freeman

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
Jojo
Jun 27, 2009 12:11 PM CDT
I don't agree. I think it has more to do with a person's childhood memory of Michael Jackson. If you listen to people, almost everyone talks about the first time they saw the Thriller video, or the time he moonwalked on the Motown special on tv. Most everyone who loves music has an important memory that involves Michael Jackson. And there are millions of people my age that were hit hard by all 3 deaths. I remember my school days, staying up late to watch Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon. I grew up with a brother 10 years older than me that had the famous Farrah Fawcett poster on his wall - and nothing else on his walls, so for 10 years of my life, I have the memory of going in to my brothers room and seeing a huge poster of her. I remember rushing home from school and planting myself in front of the tv to watch the premier of Thriller because MTV had been advertising it for 2 weeks or so and I could not WAIT!. Pretty sure 30-50 year olds out number the teens and senior citizens as far as internet usage. Teens don't give a shit and seniors went through the same thing with the icon of their time - Elvis. A lot of memories died in the last week. And that is the reason there is so much sadness.
NxBigmouthery
Jun 27, 2009 10:11 AM CDT
Michael's death made a lot of us think back to the 'other' Michael, the one that many of us loved, admired, envied, whatever. Michael's appearance and life in the last 15 years kinda forced a bit of a disconnect in the public's mind. We didn't really view him as the same guy who sang about his rat, moonwalked, or blamed it on the boogie...both Michaels died. So people got a bit sad thinking about the old one, and probably a little reflective thinking about what he became.
RichardF
Jun 27, 2009 8:27 AM CDT
For the first 24 hours after his death I thought of it as a sad end to a freakish life. But then I remembered being a kid in the early 70s singing Jackson 5 songs with my brothers and sister and mom, and I remembered being a teenager and trying for hours and hours to learn to moonwalk. Those really were great times in my life, and though MJ's behavior in later years had wiped them out somewhat when they came rushing back I realized that he did have a major impact on my life, and I appreciate him for it.

Justice Roberts, as Reagan aide, urged against too much praise for Jackson
Associated Press

 
entertainment • music • Princess Diana • memorial • Michael Jackson • public figure • collective emotion • false emotion • Hadley Freeman

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