Remember, remember the 5th of November
It is Bonfire Night/Guy Fawkes night tonight, whatever you want to call it.
Rather than be out celebrating with our neighbours who are busy scaring the hell out of the local cats right now, I am safely in front of computer, trying to drown them out with the sound of typing and the soundtrack to Carousel.
Because I, [deep breath, confession coming] loathe fireworks. Actually, make that despise fireworks.
I just don’t see the point.
People who defend fireworks say that it’s just another form of entertainment. Maybe, but they hardly compare to movies, music, good conversation or even playing board games do they? Describing fireworks as either entertainment or art is kind of insulting to real artists and musicians.
Unless you’re a 5 year old and it’s a whole new experience for you, the elephant in the room with fireworks is that they are all much the same. They’re not all that good are they, particularly the stuff you can buy yourself from the shop? Come on admit it! Seen one rocket or roman candle, seen them all!
When it’s publicly funded fireworks it’s even worse. People rave about the fireworks displays put on at celebrations. People in Sydney brag, for example, about the super spot they were lucky enough to snare to watch one of the city’s many tiresome and expensive fireworks displays. But really, they may as well just go and watch someone setting fire to banknotes for all the fun and good it is.
For that is what fireworks are. Not just bread and circuses, but the sound of people pointlessly burning wads of cash for a cheap and boring 5 minute thrill.
And, yes, before anyone points it out I know that fireworks are an important cultural and historical aspect of loads of different cultures and I know that I have absolutely no sense of fun, but I don’t care!
Tags: fireworks, pointless celebrations
November 6th, 2007 at 12:36 am
Ha!
I presume I can comment on yours, noone will find you this way.
November 30th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Me too. when I was six I was in hospital over Guy Fawkes Night (why doesn’t anyone mention the intolerable anti-Catholic nature of this ‘celebartion. Before you ask I’m an atheist). I neber want to see children who have had fireworks blow up in their faces or anyone who has fallen into a bomb fire. Ban them all now.
November 30th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Nice to hear from you Marmiteboy and even better that you share my disdain for fireworks as well as people talking at gigs! Wish there were more of us…