As I was posting videos of the recent implosions in the city, I started thinking about “destruction,” and I guess I’d also say “violence,” and the city’s relationship with these concepts.  I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that Pittsburghers are fireworks aficionados.  Most people will tell you we’ve got the best fireworks displays in the country, and every now and then you’re sure to come across a few people who even know the Zambelli family.  I think we pride ourselves on a uniquely Pittsburgh brand of destruction and violence that’s not just a fetish for “disaster porn” (as Max Page might put it), but an appreciation for a form of destruction that is simultaneously a renewal and construction.

Our most beloved sports heroes, and the teams themselves, are emblems of this kind of productive destruction.  Take Jack Lambert.  Known for dismantling opponents offenses, he simultaneously dismantled himself for the sake of the team.  The steel industry itself is a continual process of destruction and production - melting down one substance to create a new form.  These implosions are no different.  The number of videos floating around on Youtube depicting implosions in the city is a testament to our interest in this kind of destruction.  You can hear cheers in the background of each of these videos.  It’s not that we’re mindlessly cheering destruction for destruction’s sake, but rather, we’re cheering in anticipation of what will rise from the ashes of what has been destroyed (see Three Rivers Stadium implosion).

I think fireworks are our homage to this kind of productive destruction - a form of spectacle that simultaneously destroys itself and rises all while dazzling those looking on.