Diamonds are bullshit

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  • chadwickchadwick Posts: 21,157
    now wait just a cotton pickin second. 100k spent on a wedding is only for idiots, yes/no? them kinda folks should be thrown on the ground, rolled in mud, feathers & elbow macaroni. it really doesn't get much uglier than high dollar bullshit weddings
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."

    Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
  • hedonisthedonist Posts: 24,524

    hedonist said:

    PJ_Soul said:

    polaris_x said:

    hedonist said:

    Hey, I give a full shit, not a mere half ;)

    I doubt most of us are wringing our hands over the prospect of someone else using their own money on their own choices. Me, I find it ridiculous to spend thousands of dollars on something because it's expected on either the giver's or receiver's part.

    It's like weddings. You wanna blow $100K on it? Go right ahead.

    I'm as entitled to shake my head at that as others are to buy the ring, throw a lavish to-do, etc.

    yes ... also - it's the notion that a lot of people spend that money not really happily ... that because of some societal pressure - someone is obligated to do something he/she may not want to do ...
    I'm not sure that a sense of obligation is necessarily a bad thing....
    Absolutely not a bad thing! I spoke, gave, my vows to my sweetheart and my obligations to him (not even a sense of them - more like, this is hardass, we're together). No need or duty to display it to others via shiny shit.

    I'll take a random hug, a kiss, a rub on my back in the middle of the night, those beautiful unexpected reachings-out that just melt me and make me fall for him yet again, over the tangible stuff any day :)

    Why is it one or the other?
    Who claimed it should be? Not sure how many different ways to say what I've already said...but I - I - think it's unnecessary.

    And yeah, chadwick...I love my family...but some of their weddings? Good god. We truly would be happy with some foodbites than five damn sushi tables and hoopla.
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,954
    edited February 2014
    chadwick said:

    now wait just a cotton pickin second. 100k spent on a wedding is only for idiots, yes/no? them kinda folks should be thrown on the ground, rolled in mud, feathers & elbow macaroni. it really doesn't get much uglier than high dollar bullshit weddings

    While I've never been to a wedding where I didn't have a blast (luckily no one has ever invited me to an alcohol-free wedding!), I'm thinking City Hall isn't the worst idea, lol. Or a JP in a park or something. However, I am very happy to be a guest at huge fancy weddings - they are fucking fun when you don't have to do anything other than bring a gift for under $100! Free food, free booze, dance the night away.... what's the problem? :D
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • jmuscatellojmuscatello Posts: 332
    edited February 2014

    I am liking this thread. You guys are preaching to the choir, honestly.... I am a female but am also totally repulsed by our deep need to impress with bling and by the offensive "guidelines" of 2-3 months salary for a diamond engagement ring. Honestly I hate that stuff, completely. You guys should rebel. And I'm not offended. I wear some, but they are low-key, emerald cut... not big sparkly rocks, though if that's what people like, that's fine too. I'm just saying, blame our self-aggrandizing, endlessly posturing, keep-up-with-the-jones culture, but don't blame the diamonds... they are a mineralogical feat...formed under the most narrow and incredible range of conditions. And although there are many other pretty minerals out there (love rose quartz and labradorite too BackseatLover12), diamonds are just fucking miraculous, geologically. Though I guess maybe that's not why people want them.

    It must be very interesting being a geologist! I was wondering though, if it's true about diamond mining, tainted with human rights abuses? http://www.brilliantearth.com/conflict-diamond-facts/
    Geology is interesting and even perspective-changing, because you get that 4th dimension of time to throw into everything. To answer your question, I suspect the diamond mining industry is tainted.. it's had that reputation for ever, but I really don't have any experience with it. I'll look at your link and hope that my enthusiasm for diamonds isn't ruined. My work has been mainly in petroleum exploration and production - talk about tainted - let's not even go there.....

    Post edited by jmuscatello on
  • chadwickchadwick Posts: 21,157
    never been to a high dollar wedding. i did once drop $650 on tequila shots at my little brother's wedding. i then nearly crawled out of my buddy's car & was aiming on passing out in the sand under the bridge by vinnie's as it seemed more comfortable than the car. me in my tuxedo too, this would have been wonderful. then suddenly my buddy came out of the store w/ beer & off we went shooting for my place so i could get to bed

    this was a wedding worth a few grand & ending in divorce
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."

    Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
  • Don't get me started on lavish weddings. But I see people getting smarter, having lower budget, no open bars, fewer guests and not relying on mommy and daddy to pick up the tab when they're full grown adults. It's nice to see for a change.
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,954

    Don't get me started on lavish weddings. But I see people getting smarter, having lower budget, no open bars, fewer guests and not relying on mommy and daddy to pick up the tab when they're full grown adults. It's nice to see for a change.

    No open bars?? I and everyone I know see the open bar as the first priority, lol. We'd go with no food, no flowers, no band or DJ, and no tables before going with no open bar, hahaha.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • PJ_Soul said:

    Don't get me started on lavish weddings. But I see people getting smarter, having lower budget, no open bars, fewer guests and not relying on mommy and daddy to pick up the tab when they're full grown adults. It's nice to see for a change.

    No open bars?? I and everyone I know see the open bar as the first priority, lol. We'd go with no food, no flowers, no band or DJ, and no tables before going with no open bar, hahaha.
    I gather you haven't paid for a wedding with an open bar… And obviously you've never heard of a dry wedding, then.
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,954

    PJ_Soul said:

    Don't get me started on lavish weddings. But I see people getting smarter, having lower budget, no open bars, fewer guests and not relying on mommy and daddy to pick up the tab when they're full grown adults. It's nice to see for a change.

    No open bars?? I and everyone I know see the open bar as the first priority, lol. We'd go with no food, no flowers, no band or DJ, and no tables before going with no open bar, hahaha.
    I gather you haven't paid for a wedding with an open bar… And obviously you've never heard of a dry wedding, then.
    Of course I've heard of them - I've had friend who had the unfortunate task of attending them - but I don't know anyone who would ever consider a dry wedding. And no, I've never been married, but my sister has been married twice, and my best friends are married, other family members are married, and I have been engaged.. I know exactly what it costs, since I'm not an idiot. My point is that IMO an open bar is the first priority at a wedding, as I actually find it painfully tacky to expect guests at a wedding to pay for anything, and everyone I happen to know agrees. I think it's better to not have other things than to make guests do that.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • Holy Shit. Guests pay and arm and a leg to attend a wedding, what planet are you from? From the formal attire, expensive gift, rehearsal dinner, parties, more clothing, travel etc etc. You are seriously kidding yourself that you pay for nothing. And that's really cool of you to prioritize the bar ahead of the whomever invited you to their wedding.
  • I am liking this thread. You guys are preaching to the choir, honestly.... I am a female but am also totally repulsed by our deep need to impress with bling and by the offensive "guidelines" of 2-3 months salary for a diamond engagement ring. Honestly I hate that stuff, completely. You guys should rebel. And I'm not offended. I wear some, but they are low-key, emerald cut... not big sparkly rocks, though if that's what people like, that's fine too. I'm just saying, blame our self-aggrandizing, endlessly posturing, keep-up-with-the-jones culture, but don't blame the diamonds... they are a mineralogical feat...formed under the most narrow and incredible range of conditions. And although there are many other pretty minerals out there (love rose quartz and labradorite too BackseatLover12), diamonds are just fucking miraculous, geologically. Though I guess maybe that's not why people want them.

    It must be very interesting being a geologist! I was wondering though, if it's true about diamond mining, tainted with human rights abuses? http://www.brilliantearth.com/conflict-diamond-facts/
    Geology is interesting and even perspective-changing, because you get that 4th dimension of time to throw into everything. To answer your question, I suspect the diamond mining industry is tainted.. it's had that reputation for ever, but I really don't have any experience with it. I'll look at your link and hope that my enthusiasm for diamonds isn't ruined. My work has been mainly in petroleum exploration and production - talk about tainted - let's not even go there.....

    I don't know much about the tainting of the diamond industry, I've just heard as hearsay about it recently.

    I bet you know the dirty on the petroleum industry! Pun intended. image
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,954
    edited February 2014

    Holy Shit. Guests pay and arm and a leg to attend a wedding, what planet are you from? From the formal attire, expensive gift, rehearsal dinner, parties, more clothing, travel etc etc. You are seriously kidding yourself that you pay for nothing. And that's really cool of you to prioritize the bar ahead of the whomever invited you to their wedding.

    I'm talking about having to bring cash and hand it over at the wedding obviously. That's what's tacky. Why are you being so snotty? Everything you just outlined explains exactly why it is tacky to ask guests to pay for their drinks once they're at the wedding! And only wedding party members go to rehearsal dinners, but I've also never even heard of those people having to pay for a rehearsal dinner. And of course, because you ALWAYS presume the worst of me, you've completely twisted what I'm saying. I'm not saying the number one priority for the GUESTS is an open bar. I'm saying the number one priority for the people getting married/arranging the wedding is the open bar, duh. For me and everyone I know that has gotten married, the first priority when planning the finances of a wedding is to ensure that they can provide an open bar to their guests.

    Post edited by PJ_Soul on
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • rival.rival. Posts: 7,775
    moved to chicago from nyc a little over three years ago and the second i moved was when everyone back home on the east coast decided to get married. in this three year span i've had to fly home for five weddings and have spent more money on traveling, attire, gifts, transportation, hotels, etc than i care to add up in my mind because if i do it will just make me enraged. thankfully all of those weddings were an open bar because it would have been a kick in the balls to pay $6 for a choice of sam adams, heineken, bud light after dropping all of that cash just to be in attendance.

    i was a banquet server throughout college on the weekends and probably worked close to 200 weddings. 98% of those were open bar and the remaining 2% were cash bar. i couldn't even begin to tell you how miserable all of the guests were because they had to shell out cash for a drink.

    tacky. do not go this route. ever.
  • unsungunsung Posts: 9,487
    Whenever the day arrives I've been promised a few things...

    1. No chicken dance or YMCA or train.
    2. I get to pick the entrance song.
    3. The beer will be all craft, no crap like miller or bud.

    That's enough for me to be happy.
  • hedonisthedonist Posts: 24,524
    edited February 2014
    I typically decline wedding invites but when I don't... [-O< for the open bar.

    Honestly, these destination shindigs or over-the-top deals? Nuh uh, no way.

    Same goes for engagement parties...bridal showers (since when is more than one held?), baby showers, "gender-reveal" parties...not to mention housewarming, bris/baptism.

    Gah! I feel like Costanza.

    "It never ends, this present stuff! Engagement present! Then they get married, you gonna have to get them something for that! Then the baby, there's another present. Then the baby starts getting their presents. I don't even like Drake."

    Yeah...I like the low-key route.

    And fuck Drake!


  • unsung said:

    Whenever the day arrives I've been promised a few things...

    1. No chicken dance or YMCA or train.
    2. I get to pick the entrance song.
    3. The beer will be all craft, no crap like miller or bud.

    That's enough for me to be happy.

    craft beer very important, well done
  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    unsung said:

    Whenever the day arrives I've been promised a few things...

    1. No chicken dance or YMCA or train.
    2. I get to pick the entrance song.
    3. The beer will be all craft, no crap like miller or bud.

    That's enough for me to be happy.

    get it in writing ... haha
  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    PJ_Soul said:

    Holy Shit. Guests pay and arm and a leg to attend a wedding, what planet are you from? From the formal attire, expensive gift, rehearsal dinner, parties, more clothing, travel etc etc. You are seriously kidding yourself that you pay for nothing. And that's really cool of you to prioritize the bar ahead of the whomever invited you to their wedding.

    I'm talking about having to bring cash and hand it over at the wedding obviously. That's what's tacky. Why are you being so snotty? Everything you just outlined explains exactly why it is tacky to ask guests to pay for their drinks once they're at the wedding! And only wedding party members go to rehearsal dinners, but I've also never even heard of those people having to pay for a rehearsal dinner. And of course, because you ALWAYS presume the worst of me, you've completely twisted what I'm saying. I'm not saying the number one priority for the GUESTS is an open bar. I'm saying the number one priority for the people getting married/arranging the wedding is the open bar, duh. For me and everyone I know that has gotten married, the first priority when planning the finances of a wedding is to ensure that they can provide an open bar to their guests.

    hahaha ... i'm not quite sure why i find this conversation so funny ... haha
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,954
    polaris_x said:

    PJ_Soul said:

    Holy Shit. Guests pay and arm and a leg to attend a wedding, what planet are you from? From the formal attire, expensive gift, rehearsal dinner, parties, more clothing, travel etc etc. You are seriously kidding yourself that you pay for nothing. And that's really cool of you to prioritize the bar ahead of the whomever invited you to their wedding.

    I'm talking about having to bring cash and hand it over at the wedding obviously. That's what's tacky. Why are you being so snotty? Everything you just outlined explains exactly why it is tacky to ask guests to pay for their drinks once they're at the wedding! And only wedding party members go to rehearsal dinners, but I've also never even heard of those people having to pay for a rehearsal dinner. And of course, because you ALWAYS presume the worst of me, you've completely twisted what I'm saying. I'm not saying the number one priority for the GUESTS is an open bar. I'm saying the number one priority for the people getting married/arranging the wedding is the open bar, duh. For me and everyone I know that has gotten married, the first priority when planning the finances of a wedding is to ensure that they can provide an open bar to their guests.

    hahaha ... i'm not quite sure why i find this conversation so funny ... haha
    Lol. Maybe because in the end, open bar or not, it just means everyone's drunk at a wedding and someone inevitably ends up doing some crazy fucking shoeless dance on the dance floor where everyone stands back and starts filming. :)) ;)
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    chadwick said:

    now wait just a cotton pickin second. 100k spent on a wedding is only for idiots, yes/no? them kinda folks should be thrown on the ground, rolled in mud, feathers & elbow macaroni. it really doesn't get much uglier than high dollar bullshit weddings

    elbow macaroni????? that's fucking hilarious!

    went to a 100 thousand dollar wedding. it was at a casino. terrible idea for the hosts, great time for the wedding party and guests!! casino i said? for real? oh yeah, good times. not enough Pearl Jam though....
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,041
    edited February 2014
    There are nearly countless examples of the human price for diamonds, the human misery that goes into making these precious stones available to industry, to the wealthy and for vanity. Here is just one:

    Released from the grip of the cold, the houses become limp and slide deep into the earth. For many years they have been standing considerably below street level; that is because they were built on permafrost and the warmth they have radiated over time has hollowed out niches for them in the icy soil, and with each year they sink more and more. Each little house stands in a separate and increasingly deep hole...

    [I] see the following: the thawing, loosened muck is starting to flow, snaking its way in little streams, channels, chinks, straight down into the houses....

    Inside the houses one walks in mud; mud covers the floors; it is everywhere...

    Like the slum neighborhoods in Latin America, Zalozhnaya in Yakutsk [ a diamond mining area in Siberia] a closed structure. Poverty, dirt, and mud [in the spring time] create here a homogenous, coherent, consistent landscape in which all the elements are linked to one another, are correlative. ...instead of diamonds, gold, and Kuwait I found Zaloshnaya and an entire city of poverty. Yakutsk never sees or touches the diamonds. They are shipped straight from the mines to Moscow...

    ...Russians and Yakuts are equally exploited here, a great state is exploiting them- the Imperium. It is the Imperium that takes away their diamonds and orders them to live in Zalozhnaya.

    Yakutia is full of pain. There are many gulags here, mainly near the gold mines.</>


    Ryszard Kapuscinski, Imperium, pages 183/184/185/190
    Post edited by brianlux on
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,954
    That's true Brian, but it's easy now to find diamonds that didn't involve any human misery. Canadian diamonds, for example. They are more expensive of course, but the difference in price is well worth it if you're going to be buying a diamond.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,041
    PJ_Soul said:

    That's true Brian, but it's easy now to find diamonds that didn't involve any human misery. Canadian diamonds, for example. They are more expensive of course, but the difference in price is well worth it if you're going to be buying a diamond.

    To be perfectly honest, I'd rather spend the money on a vinyl copy of Riot Act or No Code or PJ self-titled.

    ;)
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • chadwickchadwick Posts: 21,157
    edited February 2014
    i am trying to imagine a $100,000 wedding with a huge ass diamond

    i can't do it very well as i haven't that kind of knowledge
    if they are spending 100g-s on a wedding
    the diamond itself is one expensive ass ring
    & will be living in a multimillion dollar home

    i'm just confused at this & a poor fuckin guy who can't hang w/ these folks

    i like the guy who gave his bride a $400 diamond ring
    truth be known, the jeweler bought said diamond ring for probably $25-$50... i'll go $100 tops
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."

    Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,954
    brianlux said:

    PJ_Soul said:

    That's true Brian, but it's easy now to find diamonds that didn't involve any human misery. Canadian diamonds, for example. They are more expensive of course, but the difference in price is well worth it if you're going to be buying a diamond.

    To be perfectly honest, I'd rather spend the money on a vinyl copy of Riot Act or No Code or PJ self-titled.

    ;)
    Haha, yeah, i'm with you - fuck the diamond, put a Benny Hall on my finger! :))
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    PJ_Soul said:

    That's true Brian, but it's easy now to find diamonds that didn't involve any human misery. Canadian diamonds, for example. They are more expensive of course, but the difference in price is well worth it if you're going to be buying a diamond.

    well ... only if you don't consider environmental issues ...
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,954
    edited February 2014
    polaris_x said:

    PJ_Soul said:

    That's true Brian, but it's easy now to find diamonds that didn't involve any human misery. Canadian diamonds, for example. They are more expensive of course, but the difference in price is well worth it if you're going to be buying a diamond.

    well ... only if you don't consider environmental issues ...
    And for yet a little more money, you can buy eco-friendly Canadian diamonds (supposedly). You can also buy real lab-created diamonds. Not sure if those are more or less expensive though.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    PJ_Soul said:

    polaris_x said:

    PJ_Soul said:

    That's true Brian, but it's easy now to find diamonds that didn't involve any human misery. Canadian diamonds, for example. They are more expensive of course, but the difference in price is well worth it if you're going to be buying a diamond.

    well ... only if you don't consider environmental issues ...
    And for yet a little more money, you can buy eco-friendly Canadian diamonds (supposedly). You can also buy real lab-created diamonds. Not sure if those are more or less expensive though.
    or for the price of that diamond ... i could take prospective partner on a 3 week trip to ecuador; take her and her family away for a cottage getaway; eat at some nice restaurants; buy an electric car; and cure world hunger!
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,954
    polaris_x said:

    PJ_Soul said:

    polaris_x said:

    PJ_Soul said:

    That's true Brian, but it's easy now to find diamonds that didn't involve any human misery. Canadian diamonds, for example. They are more expensive of course, but the difference in price is well worth it if you're going to be buying a diamond.

    well ... only if you don't consider environmental issues ...
    And for yet a little more money, you can buy eco-friendly Canadian diamonds (supposedly). You can also buy real lab-created diamonds. Not sure if those are more or less expensive though.
    or for the price of that diamond ... i could take prospective partner on a 3 week trip to ecuador; take her and her family away for a cottage getaway; eat at some nice restaurants; buy an electric car; and cure world hunger!
    Sure (aside from curing world hunger - I don't think the cost of one diamond ring is going to solve that one! ;) ). Everyone should do whatever they want with their money! But only an idiot would buy an expensive diamond for his fiance when she would prefer that the money be spent on a trip or a car or charity!
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    PJ_Soul said:

    polaris_x said:

    PJ_Soul said:

    polaris_x said:

    PJ_Soul said:

    That's true Brian, but it's easy now to find diamonds that didn't involve any human misery. Canadian diamonds, for example. They are more expensive of course, but the difference in price is well worth it if you're going to be buying a diamond.

    well ... only if you don't consider environmental issues ...
    And for yet a little more money, you can buy eco-friendly Canadian diamonds (supposedly). You can also buy real lab-created diamonds. Not sure if those are more or less expensive though.
    or for the price of that diamond ... i could take prospective partner on a 3 week trip to ecuador; take her and her family away for a cottage getaway; eat at some nice restaurants; buy an electric car; and cure world hunger!
    Sure (aside from curing world hunger - I don't think the cost of one diamond ring is going to solve that one! ;) ). Everyone should do whatever they want with their money! But only an idiot would buy an expensive diamond for his fiance when she would prefer that the money be spent on a trip or a car or charity!
    right so what do we call the woman that wants the diamond instead of all that?
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