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Fans React To M Poetica
(3-7-2011) Last week, MJFC told you about a new book by Dr. Willa Stillwater that examines Michael Jackson's short films and gives an insightful and thought-provoking new look into Jackson's artistic mindset. The book is called 'M Poetica' and it takes an in-depth look at many of Jackson's greatest videos, taking the reader on an artistic journey through Jackson's creative process.
However the book is only being offered for sale in electronic format because Dr. Stillwater was told by publishers that Jackson fans were not "sophisticated" enough to understand her book and that those who would understand it were not interested in Michael Jackson.
MJFC asked to hear your thoughts, both about the book in question and about the publishers comments. Below are some of the reactions sent in by fans. We are still taking comments on this subject so, let us know what you think and your comments will be posted on the Comments Page of our website. You can send your comments to Comments@mjfanclub.net
* I just read this publication and found it quite fascinating! I love that we are able to learn something deeper about this man; and being able to read and learn is the greatest gift of all. This author provides a perspective I am sure many of us haven't thought about. I will definitely be looking for some of her observations in MJ's videos that I didn't pick up on in the past... As far as MJ fans not being "sophisticated" enough to purchase this type of publication, just goes to show you how many people make judgments on others that are invalid and unproven. I am quite certain MJ fans represent all levels of education, experience and races, as evidenced by the millions of fans he has all over the world. I would love to own a hard copy of this book! LINDA
* I want that new book about Michael! So they think we don't read! That is a shame! We both read and write. Looking forward to any great book about Michael! Especially something to do with his art! ASTRID
* To say that only academics and other professionals could appreciate the book and that those same people couldn't possibly be Michael Jackson fans or be interested in him is very insulting and not true... They [publishers] must know by now the tremendous response to Joe's [Vogel] book and understand that the books that are not being bought are the ones by authors that Michael's very aware fans know are nothing but trash. I think that I can safely say that most fans of Michael are hungry for well written, insightful and fair books about Michael Jackson! NINA
Source: MJFC
I do not know the book. I am not surprised that they try to slander Michael´s fans and supporters as well. To get them to buy their trash. To the editorial: PEOPLE , WAKE UP!! WE ARE VERY SMART PEOPLE.....!! It could be the other way round that they wrote something not good in the book and want to sell it for the truth. I cannot say it - I need to read the book first to have a clear comment from my gut and understanding.
Does someone again try to hide the truth in Michael´s work and messages?? Mmmmhhhhh......
With Love, Ute
Last Edited by on Jul 04, 2011 10:24 AM
The book sounds very interesting, Ute. Thank you for sharing this information.
It seems that ignorance about both Michael and his fans knows no boundaries.
Without having read the book, as you say, it's not possible to make an accurate and truthful statement about any possible insightful or revealing information being suppressed. It wouldn't surprise me if it were, however.
I'd absolutely LOVE it if some of the worlds leading and most knowledgeable Illuminati and NWO people were to unite and join forces for a book about how THEY influence music, films, song lyrics, etc. I'm sure some of Michael's work, and the work of MANY other well known artists would be featured.
One can only wonder how many obstacles such a book would be up against in terms of publishing. Every big music and motion industry name, from studios to corporations to individual celebrity music and movie stars, would probably either find insinuations or flat out statements that imply their involvement with certain powerful forces and groups.
I found a very interesting article a couple of days ago on a Ted Gunderson website, and it summarized perfectly what I've noticed when it comes to the truth sometimes being suppressed. Normally, I and many others would agree that tabloids lie and are trash in terms of journalism. However, there are times when the truth does seep out through the cracks, and THEY allow it knowing that the public won't believe it because of the source.
Normally, I agree with Michael on his attitude about tabloids, but there is one particular U.S. tabloid that has dared to speak out and print documents on Obama, for instance, and on the highly questionable circumstances surrounding Michael's death. I am now watching that tabloid with interest. What is my point? Simply that hiding or allowing the truth to be printed in one tabloid is not a threat to THEM because THEY know and assume most people won't read it or believe it.
It's almost a bit of what might be called 'reverse psychology' perhaps.
M Poetica: Michael Jackson's Art of Connection and Defiance [Kindle Edition] Willa Stillwater (Autor)
Kurzbeschreibung (brief description of the book):
M Poetica shows that, through his work, Michael Jackson himself answered some of the most troubling questions surrounding him. Why did his skin become so pale? He explains why in his work. What was behind the plastic surgery scandal? He explains that as well. He wasn't just creating compelling songs, videos, and dance moves. He was creating a new poetics, meaning a new theory about the scope, function, and power of art.
M Poetica asserts that Michael Jackson was a major artist, surpassing Warhol in the reach of his artistic understanding, the importance of his ideas, and the deep cultural shifts he helped bring about--particularly the way we think about and experience racial differences. But he was an artist unlike any we've ever seen before, and we need new tools and a new approach to understand him and fully appreciate his work. M Poetica provides those tools and, through close analysis of his lyrics and visual art, reveals his intelligence, his humor, his passion, and his revolutionary ideas about the transformative power of art. It also provides fresh interpretations of some of his most interesting videos, including Thriller, Scream, Ghosts, The Way You Make Me Feel, Billie Jean, Beat It, Bad, Jam, Blood on the Dance Floor, Smooth Criminal, Earth Song, and Stranger in Moscow.
Willa Stillwater has a Ph.D. in English. Her doctoral research focused on the ways in which cultural narratives (such as racism) are made real for us by being "written" on our bodies, and she sees this concept as an important element of Michael Jackson's work--part of what he called social conditioning. She has been a Michael Jackson fan since she was nine years old.
This is the statement in the article I am referring to below: “However, Dr. Stillwater's book is only being offered for sale in electronic format at the moment because she was told by several publishers that books about Jackson "aren't selling anymore." A couple of them even told her that Jackson fans were not "sophisticated" enough to understand her book and that the people who are "sophisticated" enough, simply don't care about Michael Jackson.”
This quote is suspect in my opinion. I think the above quote is a gimmick oriented attention grabbing statement. The same type of statement in magazines, newspapers, and on the air that were used to sell copies, get media coverage, and entice viewers to buy all the lies told about Michael Jackson... also to make alot of money for themselves.
First of all, this article does not show who wrote it. Second, the article states that “Dr. Stillwater was told by publisher(s)… WHAT publishers and WHERE are these publishers? I can't believe that many publishers (if any) would jeopardize their reputation and bottom-line sales by making a comment like the comment in the above quote. Michael Jackson's books are hot money makers for the publishers as well as the sellers and the publishers would stand to alienate the very people they are trying to draw in as customers. There has to be "billions" of Michael Jackson fans. Some MJ fans will need these publisher’s services in the future.
Additionally,(though magazines are not "books" in the strictest since of the word), I have read recently the magazines still fly off the shelf that have Michael Jackson's picture on the front. I don't see how that would be different with book sales.
Furthermore, there are people that care about what happened to Michael, but are not really "fans per-say." This article insulted them too by saying “the people who are "sophisticated" enough, simply don't care about Michael Jackson.
The media is too good at destroying people’s reputations by using false statements and gimmicks involving other people’s lives and businesses so the media can make a buck. I would not even comment on this fan site, as they are just trying to get you to post and to bring more people to this site. Thanks again Ute, and happy 4th of July! Love, Mar
Last Edited by on Jul 04, 2011 11:19 AM
I just read your comments Carmen and Ute. Very interesting! I was wondering what you thought of the review on the electronic version of the book?
I looked on Amazon to view the electronic version of M Poetica's new book from the URL you put in your post Ute. Below is the review at the top of the page from the URL I added below:
By J. Carlson "chldhart" (Illinois USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME) Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: M Poetica: Michael Jackson's Art of Connection and Defiance (Kindle Edition) Michael Jackson has been called the `Greatest Entertainer' the world has ever known. As such, he has been examined from every angle known to man, very few of which had anything to do with who he really was ... until now. Enough has been written about him to fill the Library of Congress ten times over. Sifting through the outright lies, insane innuendo, unverified rumor, unapologetic laziness of our media representatives and unauthorized biographies is, in itself, a full-time job.
Any serious study of Michael Jackson has to begin and end with his artistry, because he was ... and remains ... the consummate expression of his own artistic vision. It has to place him within the racial, cultural, political, national and religious contexts of his times; and it has to show those same contexts as he changed them. Because change them he did. It also has to examine our society's reactions to Michael Jackson and how they changed over time as he progressively gained autonomy over a forty-year career in the sometimes jaundiced public eye. This, Dr. Stillwater has done masterfully.
Dr. Stillwater has picked through all the garbage and gotten to the heart and soul of Mr. Jackson with the same kind of compassion for which he, himself, was famous. She has revealed the entertainment value of his music, discovered the added `punch' of dramatic narrative underlying his short films and hinted at the long-lasting influences other, less intelligent authors completely ignored in favor of repeating the tabloid-esque sensationalism that is ultimately responsible for his demise.
Within the pages of M Poetica: Michael Jackson's Art of Connection and Defiance one meets the ultimate prankster only to find that the joke was always on us, Michael Jackson's audience. My thanks to Dr. Stillwater for an intelligent, well-thought-out, articulate analysis of one of the most under-rated human beings society has ever ignored. I hope that she will continue her analysis with others of his short films and songs in the future. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
