As always, I'm slow to blog about these things, but quite frankly I hate to write my feelings on the matter before the dust has settled and I get a more clearer view of things.

The internet has practically swelled at the news of Michael Jackson's early death. Google is reporting 40% of its hits are MJ related, whilst on youtube, the majority of Michael Jackson videos (both anarchic and loving tributes) have seen an explosion in the number of views.

Also with Jackson's untimely death, the relevance of twitter has yet again provided an interesting focal point for the media. It was estimated as the news broke, around 100,000 tweets per hour about the death were published. Last week the explosive political situation in Iran provided such western media outlets with a rich source of first-hand information from local Iranians, as well allowing the Iranians themselves to be able to access unrestricted information from behind Iran's politically electronic firewall. It was probably the first major event where Twitter has become a major source for the media to scour for both information of the riots as well portraying the interactivity of the young Iranians.

It is this reporting of Twitter's tweets in the midst of Jackson's death that has completely replaced the standard 'vox populi' (the general opinion of the general public.) For the first time ever, one does not need to go out onto the streets, camera in tow, and seek out individuals to thrust a microphone into. The internet and twitter and has now proven a more able and actually most cost effective way of gauging public sentiment and reporting information. Quotes can be used ad-verbatim from the thoughts and feelings from anyone in the world on any emotional cataclysmic event such as this. Sky News were the prime purveyors of this 'nouvelle vague' of media journalism by listing the 'tweets' of celebrities' updates when the news broke.

It was the latter news broadcaster who erroneously reported British Foreign Secretary David Miliband's message on twitter - which turned out to be false, as Mr. Miliband does not have a twitter account. A hasty backtrack after some clarification from other news outlets then ensued. So despite the modern technological revival of journalism in the shape of twitter, there are clearly some faults in this system.

However sifting through these hundreds of 'tweets' regarding Jackson's death is like reading an corpus of human suffering and misery. But more so on a wider-scale. Hollywood C-listers and random no-mark celebrities champing at the bit to pronounce their 'grief' as it turns up on all media outlets. It seems as if Michael Jackson's death could well be the turning point for all future events that requires mass opinion in so very little time upon when the story breaks.

My 'tweet' was not poetic or gushy but merely one of shock. I think for most people, it came as a shock given the star's pop cultural relevancy, anything else is tautological emotion for the sake of respite. Growing up in the UK and even small spells abroad during the 80's and 90's - Michael Jackson's music and persona were known everywhere by everyone. I think he is held in such esteem that his aurora went far and beyond that of most state figures.


Jackon's music was quite earth-shattering at the time, and it was his attention to the music video that elevated him beyond other recording artists. Without a doubt Thriller - which has become an iconic symbol of the modern pop video, remains one of my favourite music songs of all time. It is a song that is often parodied, honoured and ridiculed but still remains a symbol of the early days of "pop video operas" that Jackson helped to create.

As one soars so greatly, the ascent down is often great too. One cannot fly so high and hope to achieve this level of success. The stories of his morbid personal life, are probably no more lurid than that of most music celebrities today. It is however, sadly the state most people will remember Jackson, in that post-Thriller era where the physical and emotional changes began to haunt the man and his beloved fan-base. Jackson's legacy as a ground-breaking music artist would soon be whitewashed by some, due in part to the allegations surrounding the child molestation charges. It was these final days, during these infamous trials and accusations that began to take the final toll on Jackson's physical and emotional health. It appears that the people who bought into Jackson's music, his bizarre social upbringings and moral takes on the world were the ones who were first ones to recoil backwards and spring upwards whenever his name was sounded out.

Although I would count myself as a fan of Jackson's work, I see myself highly cynical of his personal life. So much money squandered through lifestyle of the boy that never grew up. It seemed all too much horribly pastiche of Hollywood, especially during his final few years on this planet. It is however undoubtedly wrong of me to criticise a dead man's actions during the time he was alive without knowing all of the murky facts. I, just like the rest of the vengeful critics of his lifestyle - should simply judge the man by his musical ability and talent. Of which there was plenty.