The Man is Our Mirror

MJ is our mascot whether we like it or not. Our fame-obsessed culture stuck him with his brothers and abusive father, making the public his mother. As in, he turned to us for love and reflected what we gave him. If he’s a broken child, it’s our neurosis that raised him.

We were racist

so he sought to become whiter.

We despised homosexuality

so he fought his desire.

The topic of gender we are finally beginning to touch.

His was repeatedly met with disgust.

His addiction to plastic surgery

is our addiction to perfection.

His crimes coming to the surface

is our deluge of repression.

Our ignorance kept his sex in the closet while it was constantly discussed. Understanding our role is scary but ultimately protects us.

Now that he’s gone and so much has surfaced it is we who atone to give pain its proper purpose. Can we look at darkness and learn from it? More than seeing what we can earn from it? Or even who we get to spurn for it?

He said “Before you judge me, try hard to love me. Look within your heart then ask, have you seen my childhood?” in a lyric that may not strike a chord- it’s in his one song the record labels ignored. What if it’s more healing to be understood than adored?

Have we seen his childhood? He was raised Jehovah’s Witness. It was his favorite time, going door to door in disguise at his abusive father’s side. Because he got a glimpse into what real life could be, inside other children’s homes with games and families.

How many times do you look at fame and think “Wow, they have it all.” We put people up on pedestals and love to watch them fall.

I propose we do this very thing with the beauty that’s inside us. It’s hard to let it just shine bright, so we let ego hide us. 

As they inevitably fall to their knees in the plots we move to make better stories, we say, “Oh good, thank god it wasn’t me. Thank god I’m safe here, staring at my TV. See, I knew they were no better than me.”

Misery loves company and we hold onto mediocrity, killing innocence collectively.

Now let’s be the Super Star-dust Love we are and celeb-rate together! Everything you see is you. It’s time you treat yourself much better.

Rather than talking ‘bout “the man in the mirror” and asking him to change his ways we are throwing stones at shadows and shouting at a grave. Yes, we’ve waited until the end of his days when there are no ways to change. You’re the one in the mirror now. Our culture’s what remains.

MJ was wrong about some tragic things, but some things he got so right. He begged that this world be more magic. He sang of the pain hiding in plain sight. I believe he truly wished to heal the world.

He said it’s not black or white.

What are we going to do cast out all the sinners? Is that really who we are? Better we take a look at who we’ve outcast. Try preventing future scars. People we love are corrupt, and people we love get hurt. Pain just goes ‘round in circles until we acknowledge where people have been burnt. People we love commit offense, people we love we’ve offended. Pain just goes around in circles until clear seeing and compassion end it.

Have you ever seen a mother forgive the killer of her son? No one stands around and wonders if it’s what she should have done. Because before our eyes a man is alchemized, glimpsing the better man he now knows he’ll become.

We be the change we wish to see. We also must see the change we wish to be.

MJ is our mascot, whether we like it or not. Asking us to choose between love and fear. Right now, for those of us still here, his actions, life, death, pain and love, is our clearest mirror.

Can we love that man, deep faults and all? Can you love yourself, just because you are? What you do within is what you know how to give, it’s a simple cycle. Look into the mirror, stare into your eyes and say,

“We love you, Michael.”