The Pleasure Principle

Loud noises-- I avoid them as they are painful if loud enough for long enough. I go so far as to carry foam earplugs with me so if movie theatres are overly loud, I can moderate the decible level to a degree. Bright flashes are similarly uncomfortable, so I've never been a big fan of dance halls using strobe lights. Given this and my dislike of being startled, its a bit surprising that I love fireworks. For some reason, a good display seems to give a deep visceral pleasure and waves of sheer joy similar to what I felt at the ages of five and six on Christmas morning. Last night my daughter and I found our way to a great viewing spot for the fireworks in Springfield, and I am very glad we did. The display was superb--exponentially several degrees better than the show in Montpelier, and the finale was the best I have ever had the pleasure to view anywhere. For an hour, beautiful bursts filled the sky directly above us. We were so close that bits of debris actually fell in my hair three times, causing me to fell about to be sure they weren't smouldering. At least three times rapidly fired layered showers looked to be like a start of the finale, but each time the show continued. When the finale did come, I sat there, eyes glued to the sky above, grinning ear to ear in the same fashion as I did when I went skydiving last summer. It was all the pleasure and all the reward with none of the fear. What is it about these highly dangerous explosives that almost universally stimulates pleasure and delight in onlookers?