Thursday, November 4, 2010

To crack or not to crack: Psychology of crackers

Its Diwali time. One half of the Indian population is busy buying crackers and the other half is busy condemning the former for that. Those who are for crackers considers others as chicken hearts and the chicken hearts thinks cracker lovers are inconsiderate. 

I don't want to pass any judgment here. I used to love crackers as a young kid, but these days I never crack anything noisier than a joke. But I don't hate them too. I love watching a good cracker show on TV, where I can increase or reduce the sound according to my convenience. I would watch one more for the visual part. The one in the movie, Lord of the Rings:Fellowship of the Ring, comes into mind.

Now, crackers can be broadly divided into two, those that make sound and those that make a little less sound. In short, sound comes with the package. Unavoidable.. And taking sound out of a cracker show would be like watching a silent movie starring Nana Patekar. I would strongly advise against that dull  and boring exercise.

Why do some people love crackers, while some abhor it ? I had closely observed both the kinds, and the biggest difference that I have come up, between them is that former bursts crackers...(That paragraph was just meant to show that some serious effort is put on making these posts, like character study, observation and the kind.)

The answer becomes very clear, if we look at the reactions when a cracker bursts. In such a situation our brain enters a flight mode. Shock, excitement, blood rushing to central nervous system... Same things that happen when you watch an action piece or a horror movie, or when you booze or do bungee jumping or while on a roller coaster ride... Kick... that is the answer in one word... Any stress that is produced in a controlled environment with adequate safety measures give enjoyment...

Wish you all a safe Diwali...

12 comments:

  1. I am reading this post hearing the sound of crackers bursting outside..Wish u a happy diwali

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  2. Hey, a very different thought!!!

    But u left out the ppl worried about the environment, the also dislike crackers...shock or not shock!!

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  3. Since u hv put some serious effort on making these posts, like character study, observation and the kind.. . I think it is commendable.. :P :P

    Happy Diwali..!!! :)

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  4. I used o love bursting crackers as a kid, not anymore though!

    The noise and the smoke is killing.

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  5. wonderful post with a great vision and its nice to look at the things this way.I too have shared an incidence with message and would like your thoughtful insight on that.

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  6. Happy Diwali! Well, I'm not a fan of fire crackers and yes, i used to burst them when i was younger. I did very recently, till I got myself a dog and well he hated it right from the get go. The noise is unbearably scary for dogs and he gets all shivery. That's one reason, another would be the obvious smoke, noise pollution. The third would be all the paper left strewn all over the ground. I could think of more reasons... I guess everyone has the right to en joy their deepavali the way they want to, one thing though- they really need to stop making louder and louder bombs!

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  7. I agree with saro. That is why in South Africa animal lovers have united to enforce laws to control noise levels of fire crackers. And they are strictly implemented too.

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  8. Interesting! At the EOD to each his own! Happy Diwali!

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  9. @all: thanks for the reactions.. and wishes...

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  10. Out of the box thinking...Really good post.. I belong to the second category mentioned here. See my post - http://zradar.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/diwali-dhamaka/, but after reading yours, I seem to agree with you more than mine... :-)))

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  11. @ zaira: thanks, that were kind words..

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