The Diamond Industry (and Other Ways Advertisers F*ck With Society for Money)

I remember at some point in high school math class, the subject of diamond ring prices came up in an example problem. One of my classmates raised her hand and asked "What's the deal with diamonds? They're overpriced shiny rocks."

A good point, I thought, but the rest of the class looked at her in utter shock. "What do you mean 'what's the big deal'?" the teacher responded. "They're diamonds!" Note that she didn't really answer the question.

But that got me thinking: Just what is the big deal with diamond culture? I mean, sure, they're shiny, which is always a plus, with with so many gemstones in the world that are just as beautiful and far more economical, why are we obligated to demand the most expensive ones, especially given the amount of corruption involved in the process of diamond mining? College Humor offers a delightfully cynical insight in this video.

Spray some mildly poisonous cleaning solutions
up your genitals or your husband will leave you and it
\will totally be your fault. Yeah, seems legit.  

And that made me wonder some more--what other things do we do just because advertisers imply that its "normal"? One of the most infamous examples would be the prevalence of douching in the 20th century, which thank goodness, is a trend that's pretty much died out. The same goes for shampoos, deodorants, and plenty of cleaning products; all things that are stunningly easy to make on one's one.

In any case, here's a thought: why not try offering/accepting a ring without a diamond, or maybe even getting a used one. Personally, as a history geek, I'd be utterly delighted to get a piece of vintage jewelry, regardless of  how much or little money the giver spent on it. Hell, if you're really adventurous, you can actually get engaged without having to trade status symbols.