Re: Dissecting Fandom
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They enjoy his music, it provides them an escape from the drudgery of their mundane lives. They are least bothered about his personal life, his joys and sorrows, or the injustices he’s so often subjected to. To them, Michael Jackson is a source of entertainment only, they like him for what he can “give” to them as an artist, and as long as the music is coming, they’re happy. It’s only when his personal life starts overshadowing his professional one that they get upset. Not because they care for him, but because they care for themselves, and now because of all the trials and tribulations he’s having to face, he’s not able to entertain them well enough. Instead of feeling for him, they turn against him. They are angry with him and with his personal choices. They feel they’ve been cheated in some way. Who cares about the man?.. he could be innocent or guilty...it’s the music that matters to them, and it had better keep coming!
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Then there are those who love his music, and know him to be a music genius. They may not know much about his personal life/choices(or they may not have the inclination or time in their busy lives to find out what’s exactly happening to the man), but they do have a soft spot for him. If someone asks them whether he is guilty or innocent, they’d say, “we don’t know, but we hope he’s innocent”. They’d wonder why he had to alter his appearances, or be friends with children, but because they like his music, they’ll try not to bother too much about these questions, though they may feel its all a little “weird” after all. They wouldn’t mind if someone calls him *****, they wouldn’t fight if the media treats him inhumanly. At the most, they’ll feel sorry for him, and go on with their lives. And because they don’t understand his choices, to them, the music will suffer because of the man, and that’s a sad thing.
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There are also those who actually believe themselves to be “ardent” fans! They buy his every album, follow his news, hang out for hours at different fan forums reading every bit of information available on him, only to dissect it, scrutinize it, debate over it and make a point! They seem to treat the fan forums as a place to hone their debating skills, to discover the writer in them or to flaunt the critic in them. Its good to keep an open mind, to comment on issues, to express oneself, but not without forgetting that after all it’s a human being at the focus here and not some “thing” that can be pulled apart and put back together just for the sake of giving their brains with all their ideas, beliefs and angst some exercise! Many seem to have forgotten that their real purpose of coming to such forums was not just to while away time, or have some occasional fun or make friends to share their own life stories with, but to support, defend and celebrate Michael and his life! Instead of speaking out in his favour before the world(eg- to the media) they are satisfied to do so only amongst themselves! Sometimes their so called love for him finds such distasteful, embarrassing ex-pression that I pray Michael doesn’t get to read it. Sadly, all of these folks have yet to learn the meaning of “Respect for Michael”. They “think” they love him and “know” him but get confused, even mad when they can’t understand his certain act or behaviour even after dissecting it with all the understanding they have. And often when they put it all back again, there’s a little less love for the man and for fellow fans. (Sometimes the love may creep in back when there’s a good news or a behaviour they can understand or relate with.)And howsoever much they “think” they love and know him, to them the man remains a mystery and that is frustrating.
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And finally, there are those who’ve been touched by him on a completely different level. They are the chosen ones who can see his Light, his beauty, and his real purpose on this planet. To them his art is sacred, and so is his life. They’ve been inspired by the music of his songs to feel and hear the eternal music of life. And because of this, they shall ever be grateful to him, and to God. They know him on the level of the soul where they’re one with him, in love, in truth, in bliss. They are also his Army of Love, ready to fight for Truth and Justice, and defend the lofty ideals that he so beautifully and courageously personifies. They know he’s already given them so much, that even if he decides to never give them another song, they shall still love and respect him with every beat of their heart. For them, it’s not just the music, but the man and his message that has in ways indescribable touched and transformed their lives forever. And so much blessed they are for it.
So now when I’ll see a crowd of swooning, ecstatic Michael Jackson fans rejoicing in his music(may be during one of his future performances), I’ll know there’s a difference…a world’s difference in the way each of us loves and admires this magical man, his music…and his message.
