American Icon: The King of pop

(Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/)

At some point in my childhood, I remember wanting be like Mike. Michael Jackson, a man who once symbolized everything that was freedom and fame to me as a kid is now gone. Seeing him on stage and on television gave me a feeling that I could do anything with my life; I wasn't limited to being stuck in poverty for the rest of my life. This man had everything that a black person could dream of, I would think to myself, I remember that feeling. Now that he's gone, some of the magic that I've kept inside me seem to have went with him. I don't know why, but that mystical feeling that you get when you're a child; that pure, untainted and positive outlook on life as if everything is gonna be really great and invigorating. GONE! I didn't even think that I still cared about MJ like I did when I was a kid, but when I found out that he left this place I felt a void. Come on now, I have kids and this man has been accused of touching little boys in inappropriate ways, I couldn't feel anything for this man! But do I remember a time? I do. I remember a time when my family gathered around the television when a Michael Jackson video came on, one of the only times when we all had a collective thought or feeling in our home. And man, it was magical! I still remember the feeling that I had when Remember the Time video aired on TV. The magic and the way that he danced seemed so real and touchable. Just thinking about it, I feel like I still believe. I remember a time when Michael Jackson was the only person on this earth that could enable my family to share a precious moment. Are there any more Michael Jackson's left? Am I so blinded by realities and responsibilities in life that there is no room for my mind to gaze off into that realm of magic and infinite satisfaction? I don't know but I'm left with a feeling of just another day at the job and that tomorrow will be the same as today; still looking and in search for happiness. I guess the whole time, what I saw in MJ was what I wanted to see in myself; that I could magically do anything that I wanted to do and not feel like different people from different backgrounds would hold any prejudices towards me. Aw! That's what was so magical and powerful about him. Michael Jackson moved millions and will be greatly missed.


What is Popular Culture?


Popular culture is the influence that history, media, trends and lifestyles have on culture. We are influenced by everything around us from television, the Internet, magazines, sports, fashion, music and etc. Popular culture is all tangible and intangible ideas, concepts and trends in today's media-frenzied environment. Understanding popular culture is to understand a majority of society today. Sociology may be the reasoning behind the study of groups and their history but Popular culture, I think, is the present form of the end-result or "why" being studied. I think any business would benefit from studying today's structure, as trends are a major part of business that frequently changes.

I have selected the glove as worn by Michael Jackson as my artifact. This glove symbolizes the hard work and persistence that him and his family gave to our culture over the years. Michael was and still is loved by millions across the globe. In probably every country in this world, this glove can be recognized as worn by MJ, a cultural icon. This is truly a popular cultural artifact because of its significance of the artist's influence on mainstream America and the rest of the world.


"Remember the Time" video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_n7cftdkl0