moonstreet
Guests
So, its been 9 years since our world was destroyed and we lost Michael. In that time the fan community has gone through an enormous and at at times very aggressive change and divide. The fan community in July 2018 is very different to how it was in July 2008.
Looking back the change and divisions and all the conflicts were inevitable, we simply just did not know how to deal with the reality of Michael being dead.
Will all that being said, now in 2018, those of us who stuck with the fan community have made it though, battle scared and weary and are now trying to rebuild and repair.
My question now is, due to the conflicts, divides, aggressive change, have we lost the real Michael along the way?
One term I see alot of in the fan community is " Mike Like". This term just really really bothers me and frankly I hate it. It seems to signify that Michael was this saint like person, who could do no wrong, who had no vices such as swearing, drinking alcohol, didnt have sex, didnt argue.Its like those who use this term have turned Michael into some Puritan fantasy figure instead of a normal 50 year heterosexual single father raising 3 kids.
Its been used against me on Twitter, when I voice an opinion which does not tally with the saint like Michael people have created. I have been told "thats not a very Mike Like thing to say"
Another thing which I see alot of is" if Michael was here he would not like that" " if Michael was here he would not say that"
Now I know none of us really knew Michael BUT there are still many fans who spent alot of time with Michael during the last 10 years of his life. There are also alot of fans who spent years and years in the forums when Michael was alive and know things which are not known to the general public and casual fans. It really really annoys me when fans put words and actions as being something Michael would or would not do, when those fans never saw Michael in real life or were not part of the fan community when Michael was alive.
The final thing is all the digitally altered photos. Yes fan art is amazing and there are some really talented and creative fans out there BUT has the digital alteration and fan art gone too far? Many fans in 2018 dont know if a photo they are looking at is an original photo of Michael in a real situation or location, or a digitally created image from someones imagination, putting Michael into a situation or location that did not happen in real life. The most classic example is the monument to Michael outside the Jackson home in Gary Indiana, which has an image of an impersonator
So what do you think? Have we lost the real person Michael and replaced him with a fantasy figure moulded by the attributes, creative talents, thoughts and opinions of fans?
Looking back the change and divisions and all the conflicts were inevitable, we simply just did not know how to deal with the reality of Michael being dead.
Will all that being said, now in 2018, those of us who stuck with the fan community have made it though, battle scared and weary and are now trying to rebuild and repair.
My question now is, due to the conflicts, divides, aggressive change, have we lost the real Michael along the way?
One term I see alot of in the fan community is " Mike Like". This term just really really bothers me and frankly I hate it. It seems to signify that Michael was this saint like person, who could do no wrong, who had no vices such as swearing, drinking alcohol, didnt have sex, didnt argue.Its like those who use this term have turned Michael into some Puritan fantasy figure instead of a normal 50 year heterosexual single father raising 3 kids.
Its been used against me on Twitter, when I voice an opinion which does not tally with the saint like Michael people have created. I have been told "thats not a very Mike Like thing to say"
Another thing which I see alot of is" if Michael was here he would not like that" " if Michael was here he would not say that"
Now I know none of us really knew Michael BUT there are still many fans who spent alot of time with Michael during the last 10 years of his life. There are also alot of fans who spent years and years in the forums when Michael was alive and know things which are not known to the general public and casual fans. It really really annoys me when fans put words and actions as being something Michael would or would not do, when those fans never saw Michael in real life or were not part of the fan community when Michael was alive.
The final thing is all the digitally altered photos. Yes fan art is amazing and there are some really talented and creative fans out there BUT has the digital alteration and fan art gone too far? Many fans in 2018 dont know if a photo they are looking at is an original photo of Michael in a real situation or location, or a digitally created image from someones imagination, putting Michael into a situation or location that did not happen in real life. The most classic example is the monument to Michael outside the Jackson home in Gary Indiana, which has an image of an impersonator
So what do you think? Have we lost the real person Michael and replaced him with a fantasy figure moulded by the attributes, creative talents, thoughts and opinions of fans?