Today I want to write about Michael Jackson's autobiography "Moonwalk". This book is a must for me. I want to write about the things this book gives me. This book supports and encourages me every time I face difficulties. This book is so inspirational. So it's difficult for me to write about all of this book. But this book is helpful for a lot of people to think about the way to live. So I want to pick up and quote some of his words. And I'll write about them in terms of specific views.
How should we learn
"My mother was a great provider. If she found out that one of us had an interest in something, she would encourage it if there was any possible way. If I developed an interest in movie stars, for instance, she'd come home with an armful of books about famous stars."
Michael wrote like this. He is known as an avid reader. This his mother's way might make him read a lot of books and grow him. And he wrote this in another chapter.
"I told them that Walt Disney was a hero of mine and that I was very interested in Disney's history and philosophy. I wanted to do something with them that Mr. Disney himself would have approved. I had read a number of books about Walt Disney and his creative empire, and it was very important to me to do things as he would have."
As he wrote, he read a lot of books about Walt Disney and learn from them. I think these experiences help him to become an extraordinary man like Walt Disney. I read a lot of books and watched some documentary films about Walt Disney, too. His way of living told us the importance of dreaming and believing and being tough when we face difficulties. He is such an inspirational man for me, too. So I want to write about him in the near future, also. Thus Michael learned from reading. In addition to reading, he learned from his stars by watching them as well.
"I carefully watched all the stars because I wanted to learn as much as I could. I'd stared at their feet, the way they held their arms, the way they gripped a microphone, trying to decipher what they were doing and why they were doing it. — All of this was a very important part of my education."
He is not different from us. He tried to learn from his stars also. But I think I don't want to forget this critical fact. He tried to decipher what his stars were doing and why they were doing it. He didn't only watch them but also thought about why they were doing. I guess these words are so meaningful. We have to decipher the essence of a lot of things which are hidden, not just watching the surface of things. And he says like this.
"There are so many artists and musicians and writers I admire. — A great showman touches everybody; that's the real test of greatness and these men have it. Like Michelangelo's work, it touches you, I don't care who you are. I am always so excited when I get a chance to meet someone whose work has affected me in some way. Maybe I've read a book that has touched me deeply or made me think about things that I haven't focused on before. A certain song or style of singing can excite me or move me and become a favorite that I'll never tire of hearing. A picture or a painting can reveal a universe. In the same vein, an actor's performance or a collective performance can transform me."
I agree with his idea. I've been inspired a lot of forms of art, too. All of them transformed me. As he says, I believe a lot of arts grow us. Art is everything.
How should we live
He tried to control his life by himself all the time. I think this is such a tough thing but at the same time so important thing.
"When I feel that something is not right, I have to speak up. I know most people don't think of me as tough or strong-willed, but that's just because they don't know me. Eventually my brothers and I reached a point with Motown where we were miserable but no one was saying anything. My brothers didn't say anything. My father didn't say anything. So it was up to me to arrange a meeting with Berry Gordy and talk to him. I was the one who had to say that we - the Jackson 5 - were going to leave Motown."
I am overwhelmed his this courage. It's not easy to do so. But our important decisions only change our life. It's true. These words ask me the question, "Do you control your life and work by yourself?". And he faced another tough situation after this. But he tried to control his life by himself at that time also.
"In 1979 I turned twenty-one years old and began to take full control of my career. My father's personal management contract with me ran out around this time, and although it was a hard decision, the contract was not renewed. Trying to fire your dad is not easy. — All I wanted was control over my own life. And I took it. I had to do it."
After important decisions on our own if we fail something, we can't blame others for the failure. And we can stand up again and start again. So I believe that taking control of our lives like him is crucial. I always try to control my life by myself. I don't want to blame others for my failure. If I think I failed something, I decide to change my way of living, and I try to make the path I proceed right one. That's all. Maybe he thinks so, too.
Today I put the pen here though I can't write about other important aspects of this book. So soon I'll write about different parts of this book. Especially I love his way of thinking. I want to write about those aspects in the next posts. Thanks for your reading. And I hope you'll enjoy this. Feel free to leave me a comment.
