Diamonds Are Not a Girl’s Best Friend
Pre-May 1995 Recentering SAT question:
PETA:Meat as Echan:_____.
(a) Anchovies
(b) Urban planning
(c) Privacy
(d) Diamonds
Correct Answer: See below.
**
I am appalled that the recent diamond campaigns are working, at least from anecdotal evidence from my limited social circle. One of my close friends is championing with her “AA forum” (her former banking training mates) the concept of “frost(ing) oneself.” A phrase from a fictional diamond ad campaign in a what I thought was a forgettable romantic comedy (Finch made me watch it). The Friday email chatter is about purchasing a right hand ring (and to my incredulous ears, they’re serious). God, you’ve got to hand it to De Beers. First, they invent the diamond engagement ring in the 1950s. And now, that people are marrying later, they’re trying to convince women that empowerment means dropping $10K or so to show that they don’t need a man to buy them a ring.
I can’t believe of all people, I’m promoting ethical consumerism. People, read about the diamond trade, and do something, anything, better with that money instead. And, though, I have serious contentions with Pete Singer’s form of utilitarianism (particularly the use of his work to defend infanticide of the disabled), add him to your reading list.
Saheli
March 10, 2006 @ 4:44 pm
YEAH! Someone to join me in anti-diamond solidarity. Besides the fact that the diamond industry blows, there’s the oppressive convention of manufactured taste intruding on the intimacies of one’s hand and symbolism of one’s affections. On a planet that has such lovely crystals as tournaline and rose quartz, and such breathtaking colors as amber and garnet, why settle for the most boring stone around?! No diamonds for me! There was a great NYT mag article in late 2003 or early 2004 about how DeBeers planted and then ‘discovered’ the RH ring trend.
@nna
March 10, 2006 @ 5:40 pm
haha. what can i say… i’m entertained by the fri email chatter. though reality is that none of them will actually end up frosting themselves. and i should note all will quit their jobs after they pop out kids. but that’s a whole other convo…
Bernie
March 11, 2006 @ 4:07 pm
I was always meh on the whole concept of a diamond engagement ring thing, but i’m glad some females actually agree with me on this.
Conflict iPhones « Info Gluttony
April 2, 2009 @ 1:03 pm
[…] Filed under: Uncategorized — eflan @ 5:03 pm I’ve blogged about my feelings about conflict diamonds in the past*, but it seems as though the ethics of consumerism may be further complicated by the […]