One of the most famous dance steps of all time was the one popularized by Michael Jackson. Wikipedia gave meaning to this dance step as “a dance technique that presents the illusion of the dancer being pulled backwards while attempting to walk forward.”
I thought about this meaning and came to realize that there is a stark similarity between Michael Jackson’s life and his popular moon walk. This post will attempt to bring about the morals we can learn from the similarity. In no way am I attempting to degrade Michael Jackson and his achievements but will only focus on the moral side.
Gaining over 750 million purchased records, winning 13 Grammy Awards, and reaching the no. 1 spot 13 times with his singles, Michael Jackson became the most successful entertainer of his time. Not including his music catalog, which is supposedly worth more than a billion dollars, the King of Pop’s lifetime earning was estimated to have reached more than $ 500 million dollars.
However, despite the popularity and wealth, the final part of his life was filled with struggles of debts and depression. Rumors say that his health drastically declined when he isolated himself from his family, friends and financial turmoil. People from all over the world loved him, yet he died lonely, depressed and broken hearted.
I refer to the King of Pop’s final years on this world as his last moon walk. Like his moon walk, Michael Jackson’s life failed to move forward because he was being drawn backward by the circumstances of his life. But unlike the moon walk, all the drawbacks in his life were not mere illusions. Below are three lessons in life which I have taken from the King of Pop’s final moon walk.
1.) Always live within your means – Despite earning millions of dollars every year, during the last years of his life it is said that Michael Jackson spends $ 20 to 30 million more than what he earns with his lavish lifestyle. As a result he was deeply in debt. Various people including a Bahrain sheik accused him of not paying what he owed them. He lost his well beloved Neverland Ranch. Although his assets outweigh his debt by an estimated $200 million U.S dollars, Michael Jackson died owing more than $ 400 million. While it is true that as a “star” he earned the right to live a lavish lifestyle because he deserved it, he should have lived well within his means and should have properly taken care of his finances. Because of his failure to do such, it further contributed to his depression.
2.) Life is tough, so learn to handle problems – The King of Pop may have accomplished so much success in his musical career, however, he could not handle a problem well. When problems came, he became so depressed that he turned to weird plastic surgeries, isolation and drug misuse. An example of this was when he was accused of child molestation. The King of Pop was never the same after the that ordeal. According to J Randy Taraborrelli in an article he wrote for the daily mail, “He (King of Pop) surrounded himself with children, animals and a false reality – so much so that he never learned how to cope in the real world. He never wanted to grow up, and his managers encouraged these eccentricities when they should have encouraged therapy.”
3.) True happiness and joy never came from fame and fortune – Despite what the records and others say about Michael Jackson’s successes as an entertainer, it cannot hide the fact that his last days in earth was not filled with satisfaction and peace. Yes he may have broken records, evolved the music industry, pierced through racial barrier or gained the love of millions of fans around the globe but he died with so much depression, the feeling of unloved and unhappy. His is isolation from his family and friends did not even help him at all but in fact worsened his problems.
Michael Jackson’s last moon walk bears so many morals in life. I could have said more but it is your turn to do your own analysis. I pray that in the event we will have to do our last moon walk here on earth, it would be much better than Michael Jackson’s.
For other interesting articles on Michael Jackson and where to get visit the blog of Zigfred Diaz. Learn more about