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Diamonds Are Bullshit

blog.priceonomics.com

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Re: Diamonds Are Bullshit

#591

Post by 3pt14159 »

DanBC wrote: post #196

It's a bit weird to see people so against diamonds (something they don't want and don't need) and happily using dead Africans in their discussion, but when you start talking about gold or rare earth minerals that shiny gadget isn't bullshit, it's an important tool. (Never mind that a machine from 5 years ago is for almost everybody just as capable.)

The underlying reason that so many are against it isn't really the bleeding africans; it is the underlying sexist tones of "The man will provide" "The man must do something that goes against his rationality to make the woman happy" "It shouldn't matter to the man that De Beers is manipulating the market, the man will provide" "It should not matter that synthetic diamonds that are not noticeably different to the naked eye can be made for a tenth of the price"

The real reason isn't the blood diamond aspect. It is the male equivalent of "get in the kitchen and bake me a pie", except social expectation is for men to do the things that are expected of them, regardless of the inherit fairness or rationality.

Re: Diamonds Are Bullshit

#592

Post by VexXtreme »

jamesaguilar wrote: post #389
Karunamon wrote: post #381

Earlier quoted context omitted.

s/female/human/g Considering the readership of this site will be predominantly male anyways.. (And for the love of pascal would you please stop bandying about the "sexism" label? It is literally nothing more than a personal attack that adds nothing to any conversation)

I meant it as a personal attack for the reprehensible views he has expressed in this thread.

How are they reprehensible? What exactly makes them reprehensible? I don't recall him saying anything an adult internet user should find offensive.

The man is expressing his opinion and if you're bothered by that, perhaps you should consider turning off your computer and not participating in internet discussions. There are plenty of places in this world where people won't offend your delicate sensibilities.

Re: Diamonds Are Bullshit

#593

Post by JonnieCache »

sliverstorm wrote: post #396
drivebyacct2 wrote: post #361

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I still like to pretend that our social skills allow us to elevate beyond primal instincts.

I still like to pretend... Good, at least you understand it is only an illusion ;)

I don't understand this bio-reductionist attitude.

When was the last time your murdered someone with your bare hands at the supermarket?

Re: Diamonds Are Bullshit

#594

Post by ActVen »

cageface wrote: post #303

Actually I consider diamonds to be a very valuable anti-indicator. If I meet a woman that insists on a diamond worth three months of my salary as a token of my commitment I eliminate her as a marriage prospect.

Wise move. I did the same and ended up with the love of my life who shares the same values that I possess. Social pressures will continue to push people towards things that aren't good for them. The ability to cast these aside when they don't really mean anything will serve you well for the rest of your life.

Re: Diamonds Are Bullshit

#595

Post by faet »

slavak wrote: post #479
zecho wrote: post #406

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Out of curiosity, I started looking at what a three-months salary engagement ring would look like if I proposed to my wife today. Man am I lucky I got married right at the end of college and we purchased the engagement ring and wedding bands together to negotiate the price down, for far less money. I can't ever imagine my wife wearing rings like that. When we bought them, the sales lady told us we "can always upgrade…

Is the price of diamonds in the U.S. really that high? I spent quite a chunk of change on an engagement ring for my fiancée, but it was closer to a week's salary. I think if I'd spent three months salary on it the rock would be so big she wouldn't be able to lift her hand. I'm making good money, but we're not exactly talking Fortune-500 CEO levels here.

It depends where you go. Mall stores (Kay/Jareds/etc) are all owned by 1 company[0]. Which means you can "shop around" the mall and one may be a few hundred cheaper than the others. But, still all over priced. Stores outside that brand are generally near those stores and also over charge. Both, don't keep many diamonds onsite. They all ask for your budget, and ship in 2-3 stones for you to look at (in your budget). Then, you buy one. Illusion of choice.

If you goto a diamond store (that houses tons onsite) and just go for eye appeal rather than rating. You can get a '15-20k$' mall diamond for a third or less.

[0]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterling_Jewelers

Re: Diamonds Are Bullshit

#596

Post by capisce »

gfodor wrote: post #497

Ah, another thread full of bitter men who do not want to buy a diamond because they are "worthless." I bought the girl a diamond because she wanted a diamond. It makes her happy. She says it makes her smile every day. That's "worthless", huh? If that is worthless then find me something that makes her so happy that isn't worthless and I would have bought that instead. But there is no such thing, for her. For some girl…

I suggest your girl might be happier by practicing for example stoicism rather than by wanting material possessions such as diamonds.

Re: Diamonds Are Bullshit

#597

Post by 3pt14159 »

mullingitover wrote: post #193

Always buy a nice-looking but cheap cubic zirconia engagement ring. If she accepts it graciously, she's a keeper. If she runs out and gets it appraised, and angrily leaves you, you dodged a bullet.

The problem with this is that you are essentially lying to her while you ask her to marry you. I wouldn't be able to stomach it.

In my head there are basically three options: 1. Talk rationally and convince her that no diamond or CZ engagement ring. 2. A small ring that essentially go unnoticed to a tech person's budget. 3. Do the whole 1.5 to 2.5 Carat thing.

The problem with 1. is that people will think you are an asshole and her friends may question your commitment. The problem with 2. is that you know people are going to make assumptions about how well you are doing in life ("Did you see how small that ring was, wow, I thought he was in tech!") and the problem with 3. is that you are supporting a giant scam that makes absolutely no sense. "Ohhh, look at that! That stone is huge!" for the cost of $20 to 40 grand. It isn't even about the money, it is the idea of the whole thing.

Re: Diamonds Are Bullshit

#598

Post by gbog »

enraged_camel wrote: post #304
maratd wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> so they just leave De Beers to run around gouging consumers That's kind of missing the point. If diamonds were 5 bucks a piece, women would no longer be interested in receiving rings bejeweled by them. A woman wants a man who is financially secure. If you can't afford a shiny rock, you can't afford what's coming after it either, so there's no point.

It doesn't have anything to do with financial security. Look, if your man is spending three months worth of salary on a piece of shiny rock, he is exercising poor financial judgment and that is a signal against future financial security. Women want diamonds not because of any symbolic reasons ("Diamonds are forever!") but because of reasons that are much more practical: they want to be able to show off the diamonds t…

You're wrong. Jewelry is the historical way to store wealth.

Have some extra you want to keep for harder times? Convert it to gold and hang it on your wife's ears. Many other things we take for granted now are storage: cheese, wine, ham, jam are all efficient ways to store food.

So giving a diamond to your wife is just a supplemental reserve of wealth. Read only two books about people of the past, you'll see many stories of ladies selling their earrings when in trouble and getting through by this mean.

Re: Diamonds Are Bullshit

#599

Post by taejo »

slavak wrote: post #553
taejo wrote: post #490

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but eventually had to settle for a natural one which wasn't sourced from Africa Because Africa is all one big war zone. Because any money sent to Africa funds violence. Seriously? Why is it so much better to buy from Russia than South Africa or Botswana? (the money's all going to De Beers -- which was originally a South African company -- or a similar multinational anyway). The top four diamond-producing countries…

No, but it's impossible for me to know where in Africa the diamond is coming from, which means it's impossible to know whether or not it's a conflict diamond. I know that diamond miners in Russia or India have decent working conditions and that there's no chance of the proceeds going to fund a bloody civil war; I have no such confidence when the most specific answer the jeweler can give me regarding the stone's origi…

Is it really true (I'm not doubtful, just shocked) that the jeweller can tell you what country the diamond came from unless that country is in a particular continent?

Re: Diamonds Are Bullshit

#600

Post by mgcross »

lxwang wrote: post #512
pyre wrote: post #365

Earlier quoted context omitted.

| It doesn't have anything to do with financial | security. Look, if your man is spending three | months worth of salary on a piece of shiny | rock, he is exercising poor financial judgment | and that is a signal against future financial | security. But A Diamond is Forever. It's an investment. If you're ever on hard times, then you can just turn around and sell the... oh... ;-)

If you are seriously worried about that, it's a huge sign you're not committed. Tiny resale value is preferable here.

I don't know why everyone assumed "hard times" as referring to the marriage... I interpreted it as hard financial times, even in a good marriage.
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