So, in the wake of Apple CEO Steve Jobs' passing, I had a very interesting discussions with Priyam in regards to how an average, everyday person reacts to celebrities who pass away. Her initial question was why an average person was so broken up about Jobs' passing. In her mind (and I tend to agree with her here) just because someone owns an IPhone doesn't mean they should be so upset about Steve Jobs. Sure, its very sad and he passed away from cancer too young, and he innovated the way that people look at technology but the way that people are acting its like their grandfather passed away. Which is ridiculous. I explained to her that some people are fans of Apple, so they stay up all night waiting in a line for the next IPhone even though its probably pretty similar to the previous IPhone version, with a few minor updates. That passion for the newest tech may also manifest into love for its CEO.
After realizing that its a fan's outpouring of grief which is fueling the fire, this lead to a larger discussion which needs dissection. What is the deal with ridiculous obsession with celebrities passing away? The fact that a celebrity's life may be cut short by different circumstances or that they were influential is worth noting, but what is the deal with people going so crazy? Let us take Michael Jackson for a example. I am not denying that the King of Pop made an everlasting mark on culture and music. I really enjoy his songs and what he did for pop culture is extremely impressive. However, when he passed away it was like the world was coming to an end for so many people. Crying and moaning the streets, world leaders of all countries holding candlelight vigils, pure uncontrollable sadness. His legacy deserved celebration and his passing was sad and important because the world had lost an music icon. But here are my thoughts. I will probably sound cynical here, but humor me. The man's amazing career had its ups and downs, but his real fame and ability to shape popular culture ended in the early 90s. His legacy from then until his death was primarily marred by legal scandal. So why were people SO upset? The man's contribution to society had already passed. He had given so much, and (as it seems) be rewarded with so much in return. When legendary actor Paul Newman passed away in 2008, people where upset but he had largely been out of the spotlight for years so it was a week long thing. He passed away, people were sad, they showed his movies on TV, then that was pretty much it. Yes MJ was bigger than Newman was in terms of international intrigue, and more influential, but I'm not sure why I see the big difference between the two. As I see it, Jackson left a mark on a lot of people, but that mark is still there after his passing. The music that people love does not magically disappear after he is gone. Anyone who loved his music can turn on the radio or the MP3 player and hear his amazing voice whenever they want.
Don't get me wrong, I AM NOT saying these deaths are not important and worth noting. Anyone who has such influence on culture and other people deserves respect and praise for what they have achieved. I just question people losing their minds of something that, when you think about it, probably doesn't really change their day to day lives all that much. Michael Jackson wasn't going to walk through the front door of their house to sit down to dinner before, and he obviously won't now. Instead of being so sad about it, how about you try to change the world for the better the way Jackson hoped for world peace? Or in the case of Steve Jobs, try to build the next great technological invention by going to college and studying robotics first?
Maybe its the media's fault for blowing up these stories on slow news days, I'm not sure. If you feel differently, or have a good answer to some of the questions I've raised, feel free to comment...
