Today, everyone remembers John Lennon, as they remember Michael Jackson on June 25 or Kurt Cobain on April 5. Every news channel is doing a special tribute story, and Facebook is littered with "rip john lennon your amazing" statuses. The funny thing is, most people don't even think about John Lennon the other 364 days of the year. My sister was about to make her Facebook status a similar tribute to him, and I asked her to name one John Lennon song. Her response? "...Hey Jude?"
It is a pretty significant day in the history of music, but if he had lived, would people still be making a fuss about him? I bet no one does a tribute for poor Ringo's birthday. The fact that Lennon died young gives him a mysterious, tragically-heroic legacy. And I think he'd want to be remembered, but not for the fact that he died before his time. For his music, his philosophy, and not just on December 8.
John Lennon should not be defined by his death. He didn't plan it, he didn't work for it, it was totally unexpected. He had no say in it. So why not remember him for what he did have a say in?
And let's be honest about another celebrity: before Michael Jackson died, everyone knew him as a creepy weirdo who dangled his kid out a balcony. And then, miraculously, he was a hero! a martyr! a wonderful musician who was judged harshly by the world and couldn't help the way he looked!
It's just so...phony (Sorry for the Catcher in the Rye turn of phrase; I know today isn't exactly the best day to be referencing it). I'd rather see people remember celebrities for what they actually did, and remember them regularly, rather than use their deaths for emotional profit.
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