Things and People that are Blown out of Proportions.- 

By: J.P.Almejeiras 

Former editor of "The Caimán Amarrado"

John Lennon, Steven Jobs, Michael Jackson and thousandths other people in history have been blown out of proportions. 

I was looking at a picture of the (allegedly) corpse of Quadaffi. The pestilent remains (judging by people covering their noses) was faraway to be a respectful image. I was thinking what a horrible image that must be for the people that loved or admired him. Probably not too many, but I bet my horse that there was some relatives and friends that cry when they saw that image portrayal. Same happens with the picture of Che Guevara body, Mussolini or any of the people killed by them. That is a big contrast with kings, queens and leaders of the past, many of they committed horrendous crimes, but they have the power, the money and the followers to get a decent burial and monuments to be remembered, as good people, that is.

I can't tell about other people in the pass, I just never meet, heard or read unbiased opinions about Hitler, Napoleon, Cleopatra or even José Martí. But the aforementioned in my first paragraph are people who were fresh news to me during their time. That is why I can understand like people inflated actions, personality and knowledge of those people that die tragically, heroically or simply too young. I do not try to demerit their accomplishments, if any. I'm sure that many readers will consider my opinion sacrilegious. But c'mon, none of those here alluded were saints, (not even close). And about accomplishments; Any of them discovered the wheel? ... The Air conditioner? ... or at least the Santa Catalina island?.. nope. I rest my case.

Not only they do not discovered anything, in the case of John Lennon (besides his bad taste in women) it was very known his drug experiments, illegal activities and disdain for good habits. I wont go further about this person just because I know that he was a good musician - for many people - I mean. In my taste Ñico Saquitos was a lot ahead of Lennon in that area and nobody in Cuba dedicated a statue to Ñico. Maybe have a  lot to do with people ignorance about what talent dissemination is or what closely related is fame and fortune to it. And course, been in Cuba they know like history only what happens after 1959 or the one tinted in red before that.

Steven Jobs, a man with vision, a leader of his followers (well, at some point he was fired by his peers, but hell, nobody's perfect). Now.. How come his company and cheerleaders  are trying to make a legend out of him?... the media can be buy but ... Public opinion?.. First all the big things attributed to him are part of his inspiration toward the company that used to belong to him. Great people, hard and dedicated techs and engineers (Steve was not any of that, he was a doctor, like those that are made in Universities that need the backup from big names). He was just a man with a desire to make wonderful things. Some good other disastrous. Only history can tell what is what. He goes hand in hand with Bill Gates (Dr. Gates, I tell you...) Both of this young people,  last products from the epoch of the hippies, the LSD, the Viet Nam War, Richard Nixon and other stuff, both of then are, somewhat responsible together with other thousands of the same generation, of that devilish or wonderful, depends like you look at it, contraction called a micro-computer. Only time will put together what benefit, or what disaster can be associated with that little machine. 

How inventions was helped with or how many jobs cost at future generations. For good or for bad is one idea that is directly tied to that fantastic guy, Steven Jobs; The advertising of the Mac when  trying to break the control over people that Big Brother was exerting, that same equipment became a slaver of people, giving industry and governments the tools to know every single detail of the privacy of their citizens/customers, the tool that all multi-corporations need it to make lambs out of people. No privacy, just monthly payments, where the average person can not own anything because everything is tide to a monthly payment toward an idea, a thing, nothing substantial. Thanks Jobs, thanks for nothing to you and the friend that robbed so many ideas from you, Bill Gates. 

Michael Jackson, I remember this beautiful kid. Lovely, intelligent, charismatic and with a musical sense that can't escape the attention of the initiated in that art. He grow fast and good. But something happens. Money and fortune destroy a beautiful brain and from very good dancer and musician he jump to icon. Symbol of a generation non-conformist with their status. The sweet and musical became obscene gestures and movements copied from a bad dream. The rhythm and cadence were there, exotically calling the attention of the young, but the person was been transfigured into a (it hurts to say it but is the plain truth and that is the only way to find the right way to everything) a freak. The obsession to be a physically  different person was corroding his mind, the adulation and consent of people that Michael trust, did not allowed for guidance. The money that he was making, for years, permitted to buy even the approval of people that feel violated. That included kids and some say animals. We believed, that was not a kid anymore, it was a symbol, a diabolical one. Even his closer family was a false one. Buy his own kids  like you buy a car or a house. And his followers and the sold out media accepted that weird behavior without giving the poor guy the opportunity to listen to the truth. 

Is not only people. If the overblown Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and theirs Nobel is just something like the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with the Oscar, I get a pretty good idea how everything works and furthermore why expert's opinion are so screw up in the world. Just look at the movies that Hollywood releases and how they are imitated around the world, compare that to the Nobel in Literature and the Peace ones. (Incredible!)...  What about Science? Look at the so called scientific community. Everyday with new theories, ideas, counsels. Everyday more sure of itself but everyday there is more hunger, more wars and more disasters in the world. The overblown science, (monkey science looks to me) with that temple of prizes in Sweden. The science that can say, without hesitation, that a bone was 2 millions years old but that can no say how old is one from last week. Just because nobody can demonstrate something that happens millions of year back but can do it with a week. That is cynicism. You judge. How we can accept the science? ... When one day we hear something is good and the following the same stuff is bad?.. All depending in who say it or whom does it.

JPA-10/25/11

The opinions expressed in here are solely the author and not the editor responsability