Professor Sabir's Posse

In "Heal the World" by Michael Jackson, he is describing a utopia. In this utopia he visualizes a place filled with positivity and love. I think he shows his political activist side. This song can easily be compared to speeches such as Martin Luther King's :I Have a Dream" speech in which he also describes a world in which equality is the overlying theme of life. Michael Jackson makes sure to include that the place which he sees is better than the time in which we live by saying "And this place could be much brighter than tomorrow"
In this song Michael Jackson also talks about the environment change that needs to take place. He uses personification to describe how humans are polluting the Earth and killing the organisms that live on it. Throughout the song he also hints at some of his Christian beliefs by claiming that we are crucifying the Earth, crucifixion being the method by which Jesus Christ was killed. Jackson also further claims his Christian beliefs by suggesting that we should be "God's Flow".He says "Why do we keep strangling life, wound this Earth, crucify its soul though its plain to see this world is Heavenly be God's flow."
 

Jason Kim
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 201 b 1:30-3:20
11 September 2011
Heal the world.
Heal the world is like so many great modern works a call to action. The use of the phrase ‘make it better’ is a mandate to all to do their best to improve this world. It follows a very old pattern in in American thought. Going as far back as the revivals of the 1800s to the temperance movement in the 20th century this leads to the plans like the Camelot era vision of a new society under the Kennedy era. That era leads to the foundation for government support of civil rights in the sixties.
The lyrics also shows a clear sense that world is in need of repair by the use of the title phrase ‘heal the world.’ the proof is in events like the famine in Somalia. The sad part is that we seem to have forgotten president Kennedy’s mandate to ask what we could do for the world. The promis that Edward Kennedy made in his concession speech in 1980 has also been seemingly disregarded by our generation. This is most likely due to being too caught up with ourselves.
The use of’ the phrase ‘for the entire world’ shows the prospective we should have. It has been said that no man is an island. That is true especially in this hyper connected era we live in today. Thus there is no excuse as to why we should not be doing more to help each other. Why we choose not to do so is a mystery.
 

Joseph McFarland
Professor Sabir
English 201 b 1:30-3:20
September 11, 2011

When I heard "Heal the World", a lot of words come to mind when considering the theme of the song. I thought of caring and compassion for your fellow man and woman especially when healing is mentioned. In order to heal anyone, you must have compassion to care for the person/people. those factors have to be in place or healing wont happen.
Caring and compassion also implies empathy and sympathy for your fellow man and woman, which translates to brother/sisterhood. This is supported when Micheal sings "See the nations turn their swords into plowshares." In other words hes saying come together and build rather than destroy each other.
In the end, the overall message is Unity. I understand this concept but to me its impossible to take this song serious considering the artist, the writer behind the song, the history of the world, and the violence in my community and neighboring communities. We all want our own peace but no one is perfect, and history has shown you need your own security for people when their imperfect situations cloud their judgment and fuel their outward aggressions and frustrations. It raises the question How can you make peace if you have to go to war to protect your way of life ?
 

Keno Mapp II
Professor Sabir
English 200A 1:30-3:20
11 September 2011
Heal the World
In Michael Jackson’s anthem “Heal the World”, there are many things he was trying to get across to his listeners. A few of these points that stood out to me were selflessness, love for everyone, caring, making a better place and last but definitely not least healing the world for you, me and the unborn children of the future. There are many other things one can take from this “song”. To each person that hears it there will be a different view of his key points. I will be discussing just a few of the ones that touched me.
His points were set up very clearly in this song, some just blatantly said such as “heal the world” mentioned many times; even made the title of this great anthem. That main point was echoed many more times in a few more stanzas in the song such as in the introduction were this little girl is talking and says “make it a better place for you and for me and the entire human race” for me it was a bit eerie that someone so young can grasp this idea but yet all around the world even today (when the song was put out in 1991) we are fighting a losing battle to this exact issue. I believe Michael Jackson new this was going to be the case. One of the reasons he came out with music like this; so someone was getting the message out.
The theme to this great anthem in my opinion is in the fourth stanza or the course “heal the world (1) make it a better place (2) for you and me and the entire human race (3) there are people dying if you care enough for the living make a better place for you and for me (4)” not only is this his theme but also a saying we should all take to heart. In part (1) of his theme he expresses his many goal of this whole song “Heal the World” the same for part (2) part (3) he starts to get more in your face saying for how like as if asked why, by part (3) he has you by your collar blaring in your face. This might be one of the main points of why I love this song and artist so much, soft and heartfelt he gets your love and strong and loud he makes you care; as if you didn’t before!?
The line that puts this whole song to light is in the sixth stanza seventh line and it says “We stop existing and start living”. If we all could fully get that, stop existing- start living think of all the things that we could stop. Or change with six little words, in this case one song. If we were making the world a better place would we have war, hate or even pollution? I think not! If we cared enough; would we need guns? If we loved all that we are, as a planet, as human beings, would we even have a need to make such a powerful heartfelt song? I think not!!
 

Chantule Taylor
Professor Wanda Sabir
11 September 2011
Heal the world
The children of the world today live in this set of technology rules everyone and everything. They are unable to see and watch things that they are not suppose to see at such a young age. The television, internet and phones etc. gives them the freedom to watch destruction and violence. It invades their minds and they take that with them as they grow older. The media shows not only the bad things but the too good things as well. The media gives the images of perfection to show what is and what is not the perfect look to have, but who are they so say what is and what is not perfect.
The world is a place for everyone to be free and feel good about themselves. children want to be like what they see on television and if no one steps in and tells them otherwise they will fall into the medias world and become one of them. Michael Jackson made this song to spread the word of peace and unity. He just wanted everyone to think about the young people and how differently their mind absorbs things. I believe that he thought about his childhood and the pain that he encountered, he never wanted another child to have to go through that.
The "Heal The World" song is about making the world a place for everyone to live in and not have to be scared of what is to come. To heal the world we need the help of the world. It all takes one step at a time and with the help he needed the world could have been a peaceful and loving place for everyone.
"Then it feels that always love's enough for us growing so make a better world make a better world."
 

Jennifer Holloway
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 201 a 1-30-320 pm
15, September 2011
When listening to Michael Jackson’s Heal the world I felt such a great emotion come over me. I thought of our children in the world and how some go hungry, and how some are beaten. It is so sad, but he states “Heal the world and make it a better place.” We can do this by taking a stand on what is right. We should think about our own generations.
“There is a place in your heart and I know it is love. If you really try you will find there is no need to cry. “I love that verse because he is saying if we really try we can love. Know matter how much we know or do not know that person. This song is so wonderful it brings tears to my eyes. It makes me think about 9-11.
The verse “there people dying if you care enough for the living make a better place for you and for me.” I think he means lets shape up and stop this war. We are not helping by fight we are just killing and taking away people’s lives. The young and the old. It is so sad. They got on a plane trying to probably go home or return from a labor day weekend. They terrist just killed because they wanted revenge not thinking about other people’s familys. It is ashamed what this world has become to day with all the war and child abuse. If we stand up for what is right this world will be a better place.
This song reminds me of my friend Michael Hingson who made it out of the world trade center. He was on the 78th floor, and he was blind and helped others out. He changed the world for the better. Michael and his guide dog Roselle made it out safely. He goes around and does lots of talks about this horrible day. His book is called Thunder dog. I recommend it.
 

Alissa Franklin
Professor Sabir
English 201A 1:30-3:20
11 September 2011

Heal the World
I believe that Michael Jackson message in "Heal the World" is to gain attention from his audience to help create a change. I feel that he wants to make a change not only for the lives of those he visited in other states or countries, but to also better lives within his own community. He cares enough to send a message to better those lives around him. He wants the world to come together and be a part of the outcome he wants to come about. He wants everyone to be free of pain to creating a better place in which Michael states "Heal the world make it a better place".

Michael states "In this place you'll feel there's no hurt or sorrow". This statement shows that he is extending a hand to those that are in pain of any sort. To me he is saying he want to take their pain from them to let them live a much happier life. Free from pain would mean not having in reason to be without joy, or a simple smile. He is creating a fantasy of real people always being happy.

Michale's concern sits with me because not enough artist in the music industry put this message out to us,as a audience. He state "We could really get there if you cared enough". This statement shows that he is including himself in being a part of the change, by saying the word 'we'. It shows that he has not seen much progress in making life better for anyone by saying "if you cared enough". The world is not a team and to create such a change everyone has to have concern and unite to have a great success.
 

Ali Esmatyar
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 201 A 1:30-3:20
14 September 11

In heal the world by Michael Jackson, he talks about a making a better place for yourself and others. A place where you can be happy all the time and never have to shed a tear. He’s trying to encourage people to making this a better world. In the song he says “There are people dying if you care enough for the living make a better place for you and me". Those lyrics came out to me the most because if you care about someone why kill someone, because by doing so you are kill the people who loved that person as well. Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things in life you have to go through. To me that is the thing he wanted to change the most, never having to deal with a lost loved one.
He also talks about how our generation could go so much farther without the violence. Each day more people are dying due to anger and hatred. Teenagers are now headed to prison and kids are going to jail. If there was no violence in the world, if we stopped putting so much money into guns and putting it into the schools the world would be so much more advance than it is. Our generation has a chance to change things for the better; all we need to do is stop with the violence.
 

Anthony jones
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 201 a 1-30-320 pm
15, September 2011
When listening to Michael Jackson’s I felt like he was really trying to give us a message about life and why do we need to start these little stupid wars anyway there doing nothing but killing each other for no result. I think we should go think about how hungry some kids is, how some don’t have any book or cant even read in the 5th and 6th grade “Heal the world and make it a better place” reminds me of that cause that’s something we gotta do. Basically he just want us to stop fighting and get along with each other and just be plain nice. A couple of these points that stood out to me were self-sacrifice , love for everyone, caring,make sure when we bring kids into this world we make a safe place for them.

When Micheal says "In this place you'll feel there's no hurt or sorrow". This shows that the place he want us to be we will never be in any kind of pain if we heal the world and want them to be much happier than they are now he wants to create a place were you can go and the crime stops and the wars and anything bad. I think to be this is just a real big dream that he never got to see come true . We all can sit down and think bout what we be doing start making some changes so we can get there one day
 

Sabrina Ehrenfeld
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 201 A 1:30-3:20
11 September 2011
Heal the world
In my opinion Michael Jackson’s’ message in “Heal the World” Seems to be a message to save the planet and the people around us. Make a change like Obama said. He is also, saying he wants to help the world and have peace all around us. As I kept reading it, it became sadder and sadder just to have peace around the world because, people are dieing. I think he is giving a message to save the planet and our community from being corrupt or abused too much. Jackson is sending a universal message that will affect a lot of people, and hopefully will make a change around us to everything we do. One person can make a difference. Jackson wants everybody to be apart of a community and work together to save planet earth from being corrupt of maybe, even being destroyed. He would like everyone to stop suffering, from pain and agony and enjoy life the way it is. Jackson says in the passage “Heal the world make it a better place.”

Jackson says in the passage “I feel you are all my brothers”. This statement proves that he considers everyone as an equal and shows respect to anyone no matter what race, ethnicity, color, and size they are. He wants to show everyone is equal and should have an opportunity in life, and everyone should be respected the same way as brothers and sisters, because we are all the same. He wants to show that he wants everyone to treat each other as if you were sister and brother, or everyone should be treated as an equal. Because, that is the way, we were born and are supposed to be raised. He is trying to make a world full of people to love one another. Also, I think he is saying something important and, it means we cannot live with critiques around us or grow up as cowards. We have to stop life and actually live it and enjoy it. He treats and counts everyone as family, and that’s the way it should be.

Jackson’s’ idea and input makes me think what made him come up with such a common topic and how was he so brilliant to give this message off to a lot of people. He says “Together we’ll cry happy tears see the nations turn their swords into plowshares, we could really get there if you cared enough for the living.” This statement of his concludes That ‘Together’, and ‘We’ basically, some up the point. He’s basically saying we will see the world reversed and ‘Turn their swords into plowshares’. And ‘If you cared enough for the living’. Only one can make a difference everyday. And there will be a change. If you care about the world and, the existence of the human race do something about it! Change it, it’s your life; and only YOU can make a difference to society. Love can change everything and, could help us grow into very mature young adults. Helping someone out not only benefits you but it benefits everyone around us.