4 ms·

Well Michael Jackson is also one of the most talented musicians and entertainers of the last 100yrs. His wealth is the least impressive or defining thing about

Well Michael Jackson is also one of the most talented musicians and entertainers of the last 100yrs. His wealth is the least impressive or defining thing about him. I do get the point you're trying to make though. Just thought that emphasis was a little off. Just like with Elon, you have to consider that extreme outcomes are the result of extreme people or people that were forged in extreme circumstances (which is certainly true of Michael Jackson).

arp242 3y ago
I feel both Musk and Jackson could have greatly benefited from a few more people telling them "you idiot, that's fucking mental". In general being in a position where this doesn't happen is not good for your sense of reality (very rich, very famous, a lot of political power, or something else). In that sense Michael Jackson having sleepovers in his bed with 12-year olds[1] and Musk's x.com rename are very similar. [1]: taking the most generous interpretation; no comment on whether he was a nonce or not.
- Philadelphia 3y ago
  Also Michael Jackson’s having an amateur anesthesiologist putting him under every night with a wide variety of easily lethal sedatives, and Musk’s use of ketamine and mushrooms and stimulants and whatever else he’s on this week.
- askafriend 3y ago
  > I feel both Musk and Jackson could have greatly benefited from a few more people telling them "you idiot, that's fucking mental". I agree with you but imagine if Elon had listened when people said the same thing about starting an electric car company, a reusable rocket company or a brain-interface company. Or if Michael Jackson had listened to all the people that told him the sounds on his album were too crazy and fused too many genres together. Ultimately it's a fine line between genius and crazy. You have to acknowledge that often where genius resides, so does crazy. I mean look at Steve Jobs, clearly incredible talent - but also harbored some unconventional beliefs about medicine which many say ultimately led to his premature death. Even Achilles had his heel.
  - arp242 3y ago
    Most smart/innovative people don't pull off this kind of weird behaviour. Lots of not-so-smart people do the exact same shitty behaviour. It's just a bullshit excuse for bullshit behaviour. And those weren't widely held views either so it's not even accurate.
    - askafriend 3y ago
      I'm not excusing the shitty behavior or saying the behavior isn't shitty. The world would be such a simple place if it really was as simple as "shitty behavior = shitty person". It'd certainly make my life easier if this were the case. But the world is so much more complicated and difficult to comprehend than that. Often the most interesting stuff happens in the gray areas where you have to wrestle with multitudes. We all contain multitudes ourselves.

arp242 3y ago

I feel both Musk and Jackson could have greatly benefited from a few more people telling them "you idiot, that's fucking mental". In general being in a position where this doesn't happen is not good for your sense of reality (very rich, very famous, a lot of political power, or something else). In that sense Michael Jackson having sleepovers in his bed with 12-year olds[1] and Musk's x.com rename are very similar. [1]: taking the most generous interpretation; no comment on whether he was a nonce or not.

Philadelphia 3y ago
Also Michael Jackson’s having an amateur anesthesiologist putting him under every night with a wide variety of easily lethal sedatives, and Musk’s use of ketamine and mushrooms and stimulants and whatever else he’s on this week.
askafriend 3y ago
> I feel both Musk and Jackson could have greatly benefited from a few more people telling them "you idiot, that's fucking mental". I agree with you but imagine if Elon had listened when people said the same thing about starting an electric car company, a reusable rocket company or a brain-interface company. Or if Michael Jackson had listened to all the people that told him the sounds on his album were too crazy and fused too many genres together. Ultimately it's a fine line between genius and crazy. You have to acknowledge that often where genius resides, so does crazy. I mean look at Steve Jobs, clearly incredible talent - but also harbored some unconventional beliefs about medicine which many say ultimately led to his premature death. Even Achilles had his heel.
- arp242 3y ago
  Most smart/innovative people don't pull off this kind of weird behaviour. Lots of not-so-smart people do the exact same shitty behaviour. It's just a bullshit excuse for bullshit behaviour. And those weren't widely held views either so it's not even accurate.
  - askafriend 3y ago
    I'm not excusing the shitty behavior or saying the behavior isn't shitty. The world would be such a simple place if it really was as simple as "shitty behavior = shitty person". It'd certainly make my life easier if this were the case. But the world is so much more complicated and difficult to comprehend than that. Often the most interesting stuff happens in the gray areas where you have to wrestle with multitudes. We all contain multitudes ourselves.