What Can We Learn From the Life and Death of Michael Jackson?

Image via Wikipedia

Michael Jackson was living proof that no matter how large the celebrity, how great the fame, or how in the limelight one is, true happiness resides with the beholder. Fame cannot make someone happy, neither can money or belongings. Money and fame can help us obtain the things we are craving for; however, all to often our cravings become larger than we can handle and we become victim to what we crave. When we satisfy our cravings, we generally crave for more, and more, and more.

Perhaps this pertains to Michael Jackson.  I did not know him personally, so I can only see from my perspective. I remember an interview with Michael which he describes the ridicule his father used to give him on his appearance.  During the interview he described his father as picking on him for having freckles, a big nose and for being fat. Perhaps this fueled Michael’s self mutilation of plastic surgery. No matter how much plastic surgery he underwent, he seemed to undergo more. In his never ending quest  to try to appear beautiful (either to himself, others or his father we’ll never know) he turned himself into something more physically hideous.  His cravings and desire turned himself into a monster.

The same can be true of his desire to surround himself in a fairy tale. He bought the Neverland Ranch out of his desire to maintain a fairyland for himself and his closest confidents. These confidents sometimes included children. While it’s acceptable to purchase nice belongings and nice housing, it is not acceptable to purchase a lifestyle out of the desire to meet some childhood desire. These desires need to be identified and we need to determine if we should pursue or suppress these desires. Some desires (such as the Neverland Ranch) can never be satisfied and will keep growing uncontrollably.

I do believe it’s accurate to say that Michael Jackson longed for a childhood that he never had. This in turn created an almost unhealthy relationship with children. He seemed to continuously have children around him, but he was not filling the roll of a father figure, but the roll of a child. Remember how crazy he acted by holding his child over the rail of a hotel room? That is not the roll of a father figure. I can remember an interview with Michael Jackson during the first pedophilia allegation. Michael stated that the boy knew of his birthmarks since they went skinny dipping together; this is also not the roll of a father figure.

Now there are allegations of drug use and some very heavy drug use being used by Michael Jackson.

We will never know the truth about who Michael Jackson was. Even his friends and closest confidants will never know. This is true for all of us. What makes us happy is within us and what makes us happy should never hurt another living creature. It seems that Michael Jackson’s father hurt him, and this in turn caused him to hurt himself throughout his life. I’m sure that most of us can relate with someone in our past causing us to do bad things that make us unhappy. We need to identify these causes of bad desires and eliminate them.  It’s too bad that Michael Jackson didn’t recognize them.

 The desire for fame and power is a mountain top that cannot be reached. Fame and power are relative to your fan base. Be happy with yourself and spread this joy.