i’m a very strong supporter of fireworks, but they suffer from many of the structural problems that make so many neutral-cool things problematic in capitalist/yankee/etc. systems.

think of these when they were invented. the only ways we had to brighten our cities at night were candles and oil, small, not very bright. the buildings were not very tall, and quite flammable. the cats that decided flammable weapons used in sieges would look sick domestically were being extremely unsafe but turned out to be extremely right. man made thunder and lightning happening above your head (usually) not killing you. completely delightful. cities used to be a lot quieter without cars, planes, and industry. occasional loud noises were more unique and novel.

modern suckage: loudness, the city is fucking loud and 80% of the things that are loud are not spectacular in any way, just irritating. quiet being the special state to seek out is a reversal of what has existed for most of human history. urban sprawl, i can hear but not see most occurrences of fireworks in my vicinity–then what’s the point? it’s like hearing just the bass through the wall of a neighbor listening to music, even if it was music you liked it is not enjoyable dismembered. alienation/lack of community, fed by the physical distance of sprawl: very often fireworks are still attached to festivities, but not strictly public ones anymore. you couldn’t use the shared space of your medieval neighborhood to independently fire off rockets without being reprimanded or it becoming a public event; modern suburb castle doctrine freaks seem to think they can and are largely allowed to subject several kilometers to their displays with no obligation to party with the people that have to witness it