What’s the truth about Michael Jackson? Unlike so many of the so called “talents” that are manufactured today on shows like American Idol, Michael Jackson’s talent was natural. Even from the age of seven, his father Joe knew saw something there and began to exploit it early.
The truth is, somethings can not be taught or learned and Michael’s talent certainly fits this category. Along with the ability to sing, dance and perform with the expertise of person many years older, young Michael Jackson was destined to be a star, whether he wanted it or not. It was clear that he loved to perform, however it also became obvious that he did not like socializing with people when he was off stage.
Only a few were allowed into his inner circle, mostly stars that shared a common ground with his rise from childhood stardom. Famous people like Elizabeth Taylor, Brook Shields, Macaulay Culkin, Emmanuel Lewis, and others who had a similar background were the few allowed into Michael Jackson’s world.
It was if they were all part of a fraternity of childhood stars that were forced to grow up quickly and then lose their chance to be children at all.
With Michael, it seemed as if his artistic abilities were in direct contrast to his social skills and the two struggled to coexist through his rather short life. One could witness that when it came time to perform, Michael became a different person. Watch some of his videos and you’ll see evidence of this: the expressions on his face, the determination to shine and impress, vs. off stage, when being interviewed, as he became rather shy and withdrawn.
In an interview several years back, Michael Jackson confessed that his childhood was not a very happy one. The pressures put on him by his father, which included both verbal and physical abuse, was just the start. Then, as he became the focal part of the Jackson 5, Michael felt the pressure of having to carry the family on their never ending ride to success. It was soon clear that he was the bread winner and the family was counting on him to out do himself with every consecutive success. Imagine having your family as well as the rest of the world expecting you to out perform yourself time and time again.
It’s been documented that Michael Jackson would follow the charts daily to see where his record sales were and how they were charting. First came Off The Wall, and Then Thriller, and then Bad, and with each successful album, Michael was determined to out do himself, a feat that proved impossible.
Millions of fans around the world are now mourning the loss of this incredible talent. How sad it is that we as humans forget what we have until it’s no longer around, however I guess that’s what makes us human after all. However, instead of the media dwelling on how different he was, his strange behavior, and his quirks, why not revel in his genius and art? After all, I’m sure if we all search deep within ourselves, every one of us has our own quirks and deep, dark secrets. Michael was a true genius when it came to his craft and his abilities and no speculation or underlining of his character now that he is gone will ever take away from that. In fact, as time goes by, the only things that will most likely remain about this man is his music. And that’s all Michael Jackson wanted anyway: to share his gift with the world.
