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submitted 3 days ago by balderdash9@lemmy.zip to c/memes@lemmy.world
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[-] JusticeForPorygon@lemmy.world 118 points 3 days ago

Whenever I think about the diamond market I think about the episode of the Twilight Zone where gold becomes worthless in the future because it's manufacturable.

As evidence by the diamond market, even if we could manufacture gold (somehow) even higher in quality than the purest gold available naturally, people would still want the, objectively worse, natural stuff, because for some reason the human rights violations that go into getting it makes it more valuable.

TL;DR: it's the child labor that makes it special

[-] Tarquinn2049@lemmy.world 47 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Hehe yeah, "Sure, you could buy perfect diamonds grown in lab conditions that are way prettier than anything we could offer for way cheaper, or you could buy our authentically dirty or broken diamonds to -prove- you paid way more money to anyone that looks close enough to notice. Won't they be jealous of how rich you were".

[-] TheBat@lemmy.world 18 points 3 days ago

The special ingredient is human suffering.

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veblen_good

A Veblen good is a type of luxury good, named after American economist Thorstein Veblen, for which the demand increases as the price increases, in apparent contradiction of the law of demand, resulting in an upward-sloping demand curve. The higher prices of Veblen goods may make them desirable as a status symbol in the practices of conspicuous consumption and conspicuous leisure. A product may be a Veblen good because it is a positional good, something few others can own.

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[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

people would still want the, objectively worse, natural stuff, because for some reason

It's not a mystery reason. Its advertising. Billions upon billions of dollars, millions of man hours, Gigawatts of energy, landfills of brouchers and fliers and billboards - all hammering into you that these luxury tokens are worth the six or seven figure price tag that a retailer has placed on them.

It's propaganda of the must vile sort. The painful irony of it all is the absurd volumes spent to coerce people into these purchases relative to the skinflint labor practices used to dig the stuff out and manufacture it.

[-] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 9 points 3 days ago

You can make diamonds. The diamond companies convinced everyone they were inferior.

I do think the western world likes to support child labor. While else would your iPhone be so expensive? It is carefully assembled by child hands.

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[-] SleepyPie@lemmy.world 60 points 3 days ago

Don’t marry women too materialistic to accept this, loving diamonds is a big red flag imo

[-] kameecoding@lemmy.world 41 points 3 days ago

Meh, I wouldn't say that, but loving diamonds after learning how that market works and the bullshit around it? Definitely an orange flag

[-] Hazor@lemmy.world 19 points 3 days ago

Eh, I'm not sure I would say that. Someone can love/appr ciate and want something even knowing that procuring the thing has ethical problems. Desiring something isn't the same as being okay with the problems that come with acquiring it. It's the being okay with procuring a diamond despite the ethical problems and bullshit that would be a massive red flag to me.

For myself, I'd be having serious second thoughts about a relationship with a person who felt an expensive ring was somehow necessary. But merely wanting it, particularly if out of a sense of tradition or symbolism rather than as some silly signal of wealth, wouldn't perturb me.

[-] nifty@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

All this comment chain is telling me that everyone in this chain above me has a woman they want to redeem for her love of something questionable, lol. Your morals are soft cuz she gets you hard :p

[-] Hazor@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

I feel like we were saying the opposite? I am not in any sort of relationship presently.

[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 45 points 3 days ago

Tough shit she still wants that drill bit for Christmas

[-] Psythik@lemmy.world 9 points 3 days ago

Oh she'll get drilled for a bit, that's for sure

[-] felixwhynot@lemmy.world 49 points 3 days ago
[-] AnarchistArtificer@slrpnk.net 6 points 3 days ago

Moissanite is extra sparkly compared to diamonds too

[-] Wizard_Pope@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

I remember watching a yt short comapring diamond and moissanite and the guy said at the end something along the lines of don't buy moissanite because idlf you heat it up and then cool it with ice it becomes fragile.

The best thing was that the comments were all hating on him for so obviously being a diamond industry shill becaue he displayed all the advantages of moissanite and then said to buy diamonds. He got ripped a new one.

[-] felixwhynot@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

You love to see it

Those semi rare gems are the best.

As pretty as the ruby/diamond/emrald stones, but without the absurd costs.

[-] felixwhynot@lemmy.world 17 points 3 days ago

Moissanite has better sparkle and fire than diamond. It literally looks better! And as the article says, it’s mostly about the setting more than the stone

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[-] flicker@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 3 days ago

Moissanite is the absolute best.

[-] swab148@lemm.ee 5 points 3 days ago

I bought my mom two sets of moissanite jewelry for generic winter holiday times this year! Matching necklace and earrings!

[-] queermunist@lemmy.ml 36 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Am girl

Just grow em in a lab. Dirt diamonds are for boomers.

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[-] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 35 points 3 days ago

Give her industrial diamonds. Something with a practical use.

[-] Gork@lemm.ee 30 points 3 days ago

Industrial drill bits are a girl's best friend.

[-] not_that_guy05@lemmy.world 9 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Anything is a dildo if you try hard enough?

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[-] MrVilliam@lemm.ee 25 points 3 days ago

I took my now wife window shopping for rings when we were getting close to engagement time so that I'd know what she would want. It was clear that the answer was gonna be yes no matter what, but I knew she'd have a ring preference anyway. She saw prices and explicitly said that she'd like white sapphire on sterling silver. I found a bridal set that she adores which very much did not cost a month or two of salary.

Because we didn't blow a ton of money on engagement/wedding shit, we've had much more resources to support the marriage itself. I've heard of regular everyday people spending $3-4k on a fucking ring. We spent 9 days in a few different places in Spain for about that cost instead lol.

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[-] cows_are_underrated@feddit.org 18 points 3 days ago

There are a lot of cool minerals out there that don't make you go bankrupt if you purchase them.

"But diamonds are forever!" No they're not, in fact, they're actually flammable. *

*in an environment of pure oxygen

[-] derpgon@programming.dev 9 points 3 days ago

Someone watched NileRed

[-] gamermanh@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 3 days ago

My wife's ring: Rose gold with moonstone inlays

My ring: Black ceramic with dyed dinosaur bone

Gold/diamond is so fucking old school boring, you know?

Sure, neither of us can ever resize our rings, but I have a dino bone ring so like, whatever

[-] Windex007@lemmy.world 7 points 3 days ago
[-] gamermanh@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 3 days ago

Great question, I can't ever remember because my wife got it for me and I never saw the actual information about the thing, I could probably ask her to find the original blacksmiths shop and get the info

I think it's one of the b ones, it's a super common fossil to find in Wyoming or whatever state is known for shit tons of fossils everywhere, I'm very high rn and can't remember shit

[-] Slovene@feddit.nl 15 points 3 days ago

looks sadly at his angle grinder blade for concrete

[-] trigg@lemmy.world 18 points 3 days ago
[-] BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz 11 points 3 days ago

This is an act of terrorism against OP's wallet

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Exactly, just get her some lab grown ones. She won't know the difference. It's okay even if she does, because this website sells them pretty well.

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[-] Septimaeus@infosec.pub 14 points 3 days ago

In case anyone needs to hear it: big red flag for lots of reasons. Don’t put yourself through a relationship like that. Find someone who wants you for you.

[-] wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world 14 points 3 days ago

"ill buy you a diamond if you buy me an equally-expensive gaming pc"

"never mind"

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[-] kn33@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago

Luckily my girlfriend is on board with this

[-] shani66@ani.social 9 points 3 days ago

Honestly, they are ugly too. Get a real stone, like charoite or iolite. Oh, maybe moonstone. Anything but basic bitch clear rock.

[-] Cracks_InTheWalls@sh.itjust.works 11 points 3 days ago

Basic bitches: Can use their murder rock to scratch glass, I guess.

Bad bitches: Can evolve any Clefairy they come across at a moments notice.

[-] Allonzee@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Can't I just punch myself in the face to demonstrate my love and call it a proposal instead?

Use that money to improve the honeymoon instead of an artificially expensive rock?

[-] SlopppyEngineer@lemmy.world 9 points 3 days ago

No, because the wealth and status on display is exactly the point for some women. Especially with social media it becomes a competition to get the most. It's honestly not that far from how some men really like to show off their expensive car as a sign of success.

[-] TheSealStartedIt@feddit.org 7 points 3 days ago

There are synthetic diamonds, also used as jewelry.

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this post was submitted on 10 Dec 2024
629 points (97.9% liked)

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