We can have no intelligent culture in a country the mass of whose people belief that New Years Eve fireworks is a cultural highlight of their lives.

Clem Gorman

Rubbish Clem, fireworks are family entertainment, nothing to do with culture and especially not “intelligent culture” whatever that is?

C'mon Clem,

It is fireworks........not a mission statement

I have often wondered about a society that worries about someone being endangered by passive smoking, if cigarette smoke gets near the door of their office building, but then indulges in fireworks displays.

Bringing tens of thousands together, then covering them in tons the nasty heavy metal carcinogens from a fireworks display must be pretty close to genocide.

Do you think the anti population Fabians are secretly funding this slaughter

Hasbeen>> Do you think the anti population Fabians are secretly funding this slaughter<<

H, if I could punt this one onto the Fabians, you know I would. I need a picture of Gillard in a gas mask gazing at the fireworks.....we will have something to go on then.

I have a daughter who's pretty good at photo shop SOG.

Perhaps she could sell them as well. Gillard would have to look better in a gas mask than not in one.

Where the hell do you find a smiley when you need one?

Moderator smileys supplied please. If my car forum can do it, why can't you?

Dear Sonofgloin,

<<It is fireworks........not a mission statement>>

Fireworks are used in the same way an alpha-male beats his chest, sending the message "I am strong, don't mess around with me!".

Initially, only governments could afford to demonstrate their power this way, generating national pride, then local councils were able to do so too and eventually also big companies and wealthy individuals who have enough money to waste on this extravagance.

The primitive message remains the same.

Fireworks are usually the grand finale of other cultural events, agricultural shows, community festivals, national holidays, major sporting events and such.
The NYE fireworks in the capital cities are just part of an evening of entertainment, they have buskers, street performers, concerts, food and art on show as well, as far as most of us are concerned it ticks all the boxes to qualify as a cultural pursuit.
Usually when some WASP bemoans the lack of "culture" in Australia they are pooh-poohing European traditions, the Chinese and Vietnamese use fireworks in their new years celebrations, nobody ever insinuates that those events are "lowbrow" even though when the beer starts flowing their revelers get just as "merry" as Whites do.

Yuyutsu>> Fireworks are used in the same way an alpha-male beats his chest, sending the message "I am strong, don't mess around with me!"<<

Y, Is every “expression of degree” a statement of dominance.

When I tuck into a quarter pounder, am I expressing to the jerk eating a measly big mac that I am superior to him?

When I purchase a large popcorn at the pictures am I pushing the face of the medium sized popcorn owner in the dirt?

When I hire a family size sedan rather than a hatch back am I expressing my obvious virility compared to the four cylinder cretin?

An audience of millions require more than a few Roman Candles Y.

Clem welcome! to the very grumpy old mans club.
You throw an insult at what has become part of our culture.
Triathlons, country shows , any thing can end with happy folk and kids watching the fire works,little different, except for the improvements, from the old Empire day celebration.

PS
Hasbeen is holding your seat

I agree with Belly.

After all it's really just an extension of bread and circuses.

We attended last years New Year's fireworks where we live, which is held on an inlet near the city centre. The thing that struck me, and the feeling was quite palpable, was the feeling of community in the very best sense. Up and down the inlet were families sitting picnic-style for hours before the event. It was a great feeling in the evening as sun was setting to have all these people with their kids just enjoying the atmosphere

In a world where everyone is so busy, it was nice just to sit there and drink it in.

In the rush to defend the quite splendid firework displays we see here in Australia (my personal favourite is the Harbour Bridge at midnight NYE) I suspect that we might have overlooked Clem's point entirely.

>>We can have no intelligent culture in a country the mass of whose people belief that New Years Eve fireworks is a cultural highlight of their lives.<<

Because if the mass of Australian people does actually believe that NYE fireworks are indeed the cultural highlight of their lives, then it can well be argued that our culture is missing some fairly fundamental elements.

Colour and movement plus loud banging sounds are fun, of course, but just the tiniest bit primitive if they become the pinnacle of ones artistic and aesthetic experience.

On second thoughts, perhaps I am over-thinking this, and Clem is just another grumpy curmudgeon.

Pericles,

You (and Clem) are right of course.

Our "culture" is missing some fairly fundamental elements.

You could pop off to just about anywhere in the world and find demonstrations of meaning and ritual carried out by the inhabitants...Australia appears to be lacking in this regard. Apart from annual sporting fixtures, ANZAC Day and fireworks (even Australia Day is a tad manufactured) what have we got?

I think I was so enamoured by the gathering of the community at the fireworks that I overlooked the hollowness of meaning in the whole presentation.

You and Clem make a pertinent point.

Overthinking it? Possibly… Let's test the basis of the argument by substituting some other unevidenced assertions.

"We can have no intelligent couture in a country the mass of whose people belief that new adult onesies is a couture highlight of their lives."

"We can have no intelligent cuisine in a country the mass of whose people belief that new sausage varieties is a cuisine highlight of their lives."

Maybe the intelligence required is the correct use of verbs (believe) and matched tenses (fireworks are).

Quick story:

Foster Parent chops rats tail off foster child (not sure if the fact the child had lice was here or there). Agency rings and discusses this haircut with the carer after a complaint from biological parents when they noticed rats tail gone on an access/contact visit.

Agency staff explain to carer that rat tails are part of this little Australian persons "cultural identity" and that this removing of rat tails cannot happen and furthermore a memo has circulated the office so that all staff understand and can inform foster parents that the removal of rats tails is not okay.

TPP,

Wow!

"....rat tails are apart of this little Australian's cultural identity...."

More likely rat tails are a part of little Australian's parent's bogan identity.

I suppose that's technically "kulchural" as well.

: )

Poirot: "More likely rat tails are a part of little Australian's parent's bogan identity.
I suppose that's technically "kulchural" as well."

Yes indeedy. :D

hey clem,

are you the Chief Constable for the Fun Police?

Sir you are quite right however we have no culture whatsoever unless it is accompanied by a schooner of beer,
CG

Hang on!Clem, Hasbeen and a few others help is on the way.
Come Australia day you can kick a kid for wearing our flag, why should the little beggars have fun?
And we get to cringe about the whole day, a grateful kick in the kibber by the cranky old fella.
Who once went to town Celebrations and heard the local Vicar speak of England as home while handing out the cue cumber sangers.
oh joy! we can both get upset that some call it evasion day, and grumble about that too.
The Culture of this country is and always will be a work in progress.