Artist vs. Person or Artist is the Person? Some Thoughts on Michael Jackson

Since the news of Michael Jackson’s passing has been upon us, I’ve been thinking: Can we, or should we, separate the artist’s work from the artist as a person? (You can also insert politician or any other profession in place of artist in that sentence).

Here’s the deal: I try to be fair and base my conclusions on evidence. I try to think critically about everything I hear or read but, even so, I’m pretty convinced that Michael Jackson was a pedophile. He was an incredible artist who broke barriers and deserved his fame and success. He was also a victim of his success in that many people wanted to blackmail or otherwise get something from him and he probably never had a shot at a normal life. But I do think there were many of his personal choices (many of which he talked openly about) and other evidence that points to him being a pederast. I find that repulsive and for a long time I refused to buy any Michael Jackson music because I didn’t want my money going to someone who hurts children.

But over the years, I’ve read and talked to others who have a different view about how we should think about a person’s work and their personal lives. They believe you can, or even should, separate the artist from his work, seeing them as separate things. This is the logic I apply to my view of Bill Clinton. I voted for him twice and think history will show he was a pretty good president. He was no Lincoln but pretty good all the same. By most accounts I’ve read, he is amazingly intelligent, compassionate, and a warm and loving father. He was, however, a terrible husband and chose to lie to millions of American citizens he was sworn to serve (“I did not have sex with that woman”…well, it depends on how you define sex). For me, his personal choices are that: personal, and to be handled within his family. The fact that he lied to the American people is a big issue, but he lied about a personal matter. He didn’t lie about issues that got us into a war (W, I’m looking at you) or that cost us billions of dollars (W, again, looking at you) or that broke any laws (Nixon…oh never mind, you’re dead). His lie wasn’t OK but, to be honest, it’s the same lie that millions of people have told at least once in their lives. So, continuing this viewpoint, I should separate MJ’s art from his personal life and buy his music without guilt or feelings of ickyness.

But I’ve always believed that we are whole people, that our character permeates our entire self and that are actions are the evidence of our character. In other words, we are not a collection of shoe boxes, each with its own part of us – our parental self in one box, our spousal self in another, our professional life in yet another – but are, using this metaphor, one big box. Maybe our “box” has some dividers but basically all the pieces of us are connected. So if you’re a dishonest or arrogant or abusive spouse, you’re probably a dishonest or arrogant or abusive supervisor, or son, or friend. Maybe you’re more dishonest, arrogant or abusive in one area of your life than in others but those things are part of your character and that pervades everything in your life. This would lead me to believe MJ should be viewed as a whole person, reinforcing my refusal to purchase his music.

Maybe the answer is a little bit of both. Maybe we’re very complicated people. None of us is perfect (that I know for sure), and we’re all more successful in certain areas of our lives than others. We all have strengths and weaknesses. No new ideas with that statement and I would agree with that perspective.

I think I have an easier time separating the personal and professional with Clinton than MJ because Clinton, for all his faults, wasn’t hurting children. Hillary is an intelligent woman with economic options and she chose to stay in her marriage. I continue to respect both Bill and Hillary Clinton professionally even though their personal choices mystify me (for different reasons). The crimes that MJ was accused of, on the other hand, hurt children who had no choice and I see that as wholly different from the Clinton thing.

So what do you think? Should we separate the artist (or politician) from the person or not? Should Michael Jackson be remembered as a great artist who did some bad things, or as a pedophile who left us with some good art?