He was Castro without the guerrillas. And like the leaders of so many countries cut off from the rules, standards and impositions of the rest of the world, his downfall arrived in the form of an inquisitive visitor.
When Michael let the world inside Neverland, the world tore him apart, slowly at first, then piece by piece until the grinning loon standing before the judges looked out from every tabloid on every street-corner.
However much of a dictator Michael may have been within his own hypothetical State, he obviously inspired affection rather than disdain. It took, however, only a handful of dissidents for his leadership, or lack thereof, to be brought into serious question.
Whether or not we, as outsiders, agreed with his practices, was immaterial. As far as The Duke would hazard a guess, it would seem that Michael had lived outside of the law for so long, that he had lost track of outside morality, and any standards concerning such.
Who would admit to the things he was admitting to? Who, but someone who had no concept of the established rules of society?
Michael Jackson, during that lengthy televised interview, had the look of a man who perhaps expects that some will find his behaviour bizarre (these folks are "ignorant", don't you know?), but who, really, couldn't care less. I mean, what can you folks do, away over there in Earth? I don't tell you how to run your country, so don't you be telling me how to run mine. That Michael Jackson was American was nothing more than a technicality. He was a citizen of Neverland, and what he deemed just, and right, was the law.
His anarchy was a particularly selfish one, and one that benefited none but he, but it was an anarchy nonetheless, one took to extremes that even Johnny Rotten couldn't have envisioned. Mentally, physically, in action and in thought, Michael Jackson was no more a citizen of the United States than I am. (The Duke resides in the Northern Ireland, if any baffled Google-tourists might be reading)
Article comments
1 - Al Barger
Yeah, well Al gots a SPECIAL PLACE for his unique type of "anarchy" all picked out is what.
2 - Eric Olsen
Duke, a very brilliant piece.
I sympathize with your insomnia - it appears to be the curse of a very fertile imagination. I would suggest cutting the caffeine down to a dull roar nd checking into mild sleep-inducers like Valerian and Melatonin. I take them both every night and sleep pretty well, and I am not unfamiliar with the demands of a cycling brain.
Re MJ, you expressed your views and sympathies very well, and I agree with your conclusion that while he was probably a fucking loon 30 years ago, after years of isolated reign he is now a raving fucking loon. I have no idea if he committed the acts he is accused of but I wouldn't be surprised either way.
I also had affection for him for most of his life/career (they are only divided by about 10 years) but now I think his lunacy has become a danger to himself and others. I'm not sure what the anser is, but regardless of the outcome of his current dealings with the law, if he doesn't somehow align himself with reality, it can only end in tears.
Get some rest, buddy.
3 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Al, thats some freaky malarky. Is that you in the blue top, incidentally?
Eric, thank you good sir.
I'm always contemplating methods of getting to bed earlier and so on, but to no avail. Too much trash to be watching and discussing and what not. All my attempts fail. Like the other night, i thought i'd put on an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm before i went to bed. quarter to five and i realise how damn late it is. Then i go to bed and put on the commentary from Pi to listen to that the brain might be preoccupied, but no, "this shot here..." what shot where? I must look, and thus, efforts are scuppered once again.
Hehe. It would be terribly sad if it wasn't so amusing.
Thanks for the kind words regarding this dose of scribbling. I think i'd been wanting to write about this carry-on for some time, but needed the anchor, if you will, which arrived in the form of the anarchist musings. At half 6 in the damn morning. lol
4 - Eric Olsen
I was on a very late schedule for many years due to the DJing and all, and people who haven't talked to me for a while are astounded to hear I get up at 6am 5 days a week now and have been for a few years. I just don't have any choice. It still doesn't feel right, though.
5 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Eric, it most certainly don't feel right. I keep saying, well, it's just like if someone was on night shift. You get up at 2PM then stay up till 6. But still, normal folks seem awful content with the bed-at-reasonable-hour thing.
It's not as bad when its a choice, but when you WANT to sleep, but the head won't let you, that sucks right there.
6 - Eric Olsen
because I don't have any choice as to my schedule and have to get a reasonable amount of sleep, that's why I use the Valerian, Melatonin, antihistamine, ...