Are we Blind?

In 1988 "Man in the Mirror" was released as the fourth single in January and it was recorded by Micheal Jackson and written by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett, this song peaked number one int he United States and topped the Billboard hot 100 for two weeks. "Man int he Mirror" was composed because the writers and Micheal Jackson himself saw the other side of the world that had nothing, injustice, and poverty. They wanted to send out a message that everyone needs to do something, and any of act of kindness can change the world.

"Man in the Mirror" didn't only make the top hits, or top song for its composition but also for the message and the image that Micheal Jackson portrays in the song. The video for "Man in the Mirror" was quite different from other videos that Micheal Jackson has made because he doesn't personally make an appearance in the video. Instead the video shows The Civil Rights march on Washington, Homelessness, Ethiopian famish, and lots of more tragic incidents that happen in the world of today. In one part of the song Micheal Jackson says " I see the kids in the street with not enough to eat, who am I to be blind pertending not to see there needs?" What I get from this line is that Micheal Jackson while showing in the video all these "ugly" views of the poor, underprivileged, and even scenes that make you want to look away, he wants you to look and notice that it is real and it does happen. in the part of "who am I to be blind" Micheal shows that the more privileged or the rich choose to be "blind" so they don't have to deal with the problems they don't have, and not get involved with the bad things in life and instead they just have the good things regardless if there is people needing our help. That is why Micheal is telling the world through this song to "change the man in the mirror" and start caring and open your eyes to the reality of the world and if we all take away the blindness we can all help make the world a better place.

Micheal Jackson has always been a humanatarian. Through his successful carreer of singing and pop and his life of recieving he has also given. Eventhough he was one of the richest singers in his time and the most famous he has never been "blind" to the lower class, or poverty, he has always tried to give back. He is a great idol and inspiration to those who have money to care about the world and when needed not to turn away.

Micheal Jacksons song "Man in the Mirror" relates to The Great Gatsby in the sense that the characters in the book choose to be "blind" and not see the "ugliness" of the world. During the novel there are scenes where the minority or lower class are described as if the where invisible for example; the "oranges ans pulps" (39) "cocktails in the air" (41). During Gatsbys extravagant parties Nick describes the servents as invisible for when he describes the guests grabbing cocktails he mentions "floating cocktails" as if the servents werent there. As Micheal Jasckson said "who am I to be blind pertending not to see their needs" well the characters are choosing to be blind because they are higher class than them, he doesnt want to look at the minortiy. Micheal Jackson however is telling the higher class, and the world to open their eyes and acknowledge that they in fact do exist. Instead in The Great Gatsby they want to avoid the ugliness of the world and lean away from what they are not use to, so they turn "blind" to the lower class and the needy. Like the pictures above there is a barrior between the rich and the poor, Gatsby has "over the top" parties and yet you don't really see servents, they are invisible, all that is shows in the big lights, the fancy cars, the "over the top" clothing and cocktails. While the poor, like the begger above is ignored by the people walking by becasue instead of dealing with the "ashes" you block it out so you have the good things in life.