Poll: Diamonds! Are Worthless Little Chunks Of Worthless Rock...

[2HF]

Diamonds when used for industrial purposes are pretty valuable iirc.

A diamond sitting in a ring (read: anywhere other than industrial purposes) is absolutely worthless. No?

Let's start with the diamond ring. We're going to assume a loving relationship that lasts until death. Whoever is wearing the diamond ring is walking around with anywhere from hundreds (poor folk) to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars (rich folk) on their finger for absolutely no fucking reason!

The diamond serves absolutely no purpose apart from impressing other people (and honestly, if you care about the opinions of people who are impressed by a useless rock then we can't have a rational discussion). Sure this argument can be applied to a great many things in any given home but none of those things concentrate as much money in such a small package.

In any other form of jewelry I can maybe understand it if you plan on selling it later on for more than you paid, or even at a slight loss. Sure, they do look kinda pretty, whatever.

You can tell me that the diamond is a symbol of your never ending love but fuck all that jazz. If my partner doesn't get that I love them from the fact that I'm promising the rest of my life to them then we have issues that no pebble can solve.

So... TLDR version. A diamond that you plan on keeping forever is a worthless piece of rock that some people might have even died for. A diamond that you plan on reselling some day is a needlessly risky investment. Discuss?

Just a quick thing, I see this come up a lot. Don't use this thread to whine about how you are forever alone. If you truly believe that then clearly the poll question wasn't meant for you. Stop being whiny and go ask someone out. The worst they can do is say no.

 

[Aris Khandr]

My father taught me something when I was very young. "A thing is worth what someone else will pay for it." Ergo, as diamonds do sell for hundreds to thousands of dollars, they are certainly not worthless.

Do I expect one? No. I'm far more partial to personalised touches. If my girlfriend were to get me a silver and amethyst ring, that would be far more worthwhile to me than a diamond or gold. I just don't care for gold much.

 

[WolfThomas]

Try telling your girlfriend that. Sure it will go down well.

Or that an engagement ring (as opposed to a wedding ring) is a relatively new concept. One that stemmed from that in the early 20th century it wasn't unusual for women to have sex with their finances before marriage. But some men would propose to women, have sex with them and then renege. So the idea of spending a month of your salary on a ring was a sort of down payment on the wedding.

But on the other hand it's a societal expression of commitment. As much as you want to buck the trend, not doing it can be misconstrued. I'm definitely going to get my girlfriend a diamond (or sapphire or tanzanite) ring when I propose, with a platinum band.

No one plans to resell diamond rings. The value is in the stone and the metal content, but you also pay for the workmanship. The ring loses a huge chunk of value the minute you leave the store.

 

[GoAwayVifs]

Diamonds aren't worthless, they make great tools. Really went it comes down to it, money as it exist now is has no intrinsic value. Even gold doesn't have that mush going for it other than being shiny. People as a whole are kind of a weird bunch.

And fun fact the whole diamond engagement ring is relatively recent. It used to be that various coloured gems were that standard for wedding rings, and the diamond industry launch a massive campaign pushing diamond rings and also came up the the month's salary crap. So in short fuck De Beer's forever

 

[Sandernista]

The diamond serves absolutely no purpose apart from impressing other people (and honestly, if you care about the opinions of people who are impressed by a useless rock then we can't have a rational discussion).

So if I care about people who are impressed I work and save for months, come up with elaborate ruses so my s.o. won't know where the money is going and explain my absences, &e. we can't have a rational discussion?

Ok then. Goodbye.

 

[DugMachine]

Just depends on the type of girl I'm marrying to be honest. If I'm going to propose to some new age chick who's into all that crunchy granola business then I'd probably get her something other than a diamond ring.

My current girlfriend though... she's the type who'd want a diamond ring so that pretty much answers that. I personally find them to be a waste of money for a shiny rock that people sometimes die over.

 

[Boris Goodenough]

Diamonds are why children in Africa are forced to work in mines and have their hands chopped off by rival warlords as an object and abject lesson.

Diamonds can not be sniffed out by dogs and can be unidentifiable so they are the main staple for criminal organizations and terrorist groups.

The sooner diamonds are no longer highly sought after the sooner the world will be a better place. I will never buy diamonds, never.

You can get non-conflict diamonds and lab grown ones.

 

[twistedmic]

If I were to p

Do I expect one? No. I'm far more partial to personalised touches. If my girlfriend were to get me a silver and amethyst ring, that would be far more worthwhile to me than a diamond or gold. I just don't care for gold much.

Same her. If I ever propose to a girl I'd get a ring that matches the metal and stone that she likes most. If she likes diamonds, I'll get diamonds. If she likes emeralds or sapphires, I'll get her those.

A personalized gift will always have a greater impact, and meaning than a generic gift.

 

[dumbseizure]

Diamonds are why children in Africa are forced to work in mines and have their hands chopped off by rival warlords as an object and abject lesson.

Diamonds can not be sniffed out by dogs and can be unidentifiable so they are the main staple for criminal organizations and terrorist groups.

The sooner diamonds are no longer highly sought after the sooner the world will be a better place. I will never buy diamonds, never.

You do know the conflict diamonds, or blood diamonds, aren't the only diamonds available in the world right? Plus, conflict diamonds are illegal to import into America and other countries.

Saying you won't buy a diamond because of those reasons would be like saying you won't use a bank because one of them has been caught up in a scandal of funding terrorism and money laundering for the Mexican drug cartels. [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2184657/British-banks-links-global-terror-US-accuses-Standard-Chartered-laundering-billions-Iran-Hezbollah.html]

In other words, it is ridiculous.

 

[FalloutJack]

If I were to present her with a diamond, I think I'd get tackled right then and there.

O_O This is worthless?!

 

[Kolby Jack]

Diamonds when used for industrial purposes are pretty valuable iirc.

A diamond sitting in a ring (read: anywhere other than industrial purposes) is absolutely worthless. No?

Let's start with the diamond ring. We're going to assume a loving relationship that lasts until death. Whoever is wearing the diamond ring is walking around with anywhere from hundreds (poor folk) to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars (rich folk) on their finger for absolutely no fucking reason!

The diamond serves absolutely no purpose apart from impressing other people (and honestly, if you care about the opinions of people who are impressed by a useless rock then we can't have a rational discussion). Sure this argument can be applied to a great many things in any given home but none of those things concentrate as much money in such a small package.

In any other form of jewelry I can maybe understand it if you plan on selling it later on for more than you paid, or even at a slight loss. Sure, they do look kinda pretty, whatever.

You can tell me that the diamond is a symbol of your never ending love but fuck all that jazz. If my partner doesn't get that I love them from the fact that I'm promising the rest of my life to them then we have issues that no pebble can solve.

So... TLDR version. A diamond that you plan on keeping forever is a worthless piece of rock that some people might have even died for. A diamond that you plan on reselling some day is a needlessly risky investment. Discuss?

Just a quick thing, I see this come up a lot. Don't use this thread to whine about how you are forever alone. If you truly believe that then clearly the poll question wasn't meant for you. Stop being whiny and go ask someone out. The worst they can do is say no.

Wow, you are incredibly dismissive of other people's thoughts and beliefs that don't align with your own. That's kind of shitty. I don't like you.

 

[Veylon]

You can not actually be certain some of those diamonds in stores are not in fact conflict diamonds, they can not 100% guarantee such.

You can never be 100% sure of anything. Your cell phone may contain conflict-cobaltine from the Congo, the oil made into gas for your car may have funded Islamic terrorists, the particle board in your furniture may come from Siberian larch hewed by North Korean slave laborers. You never know.

Conflict-free diamonds are supposed to have documentation tracing back to their mine. Make sure to ask for it. Diamonds are far better kept track of than the above resources. Or just get one of those made-in-the-USA manufactured diamonds that've never been anywhere near a conflict zone.

 

[DarkRyter]

Diamonds are why children in Africa are forced to work in mines and have their hands chopped off by rival warlords as an object and abject lesson.

Diamonds can not be sniffed out by dogs and can be unidentifiable so they are the main staple for criminal organizations and terrorist groups.

The sooner diamonds are no longer highly sought after the sooner the world will be a better place. I will never buy diamonds, never.

I have no idea why someone wouldn't do something simply because it causes others suffering.

 

[Hagi]

Diamonds are why children in Africa are forced to work in mines and have their hands chopped off by rival warlords as an object and abject lesson.

Diamonds can not be sniffed out by dogs and can be unidentifiable so they are the main staple for criminal organizations and terrorist groups.

The sooner diamonds are no longer highly sought after the sooner the world will be a better place. I will never buy diamonds, never.

I have no idea why someone wouldn't do something simply because it causes others suffering.

Empathy?

Unless you're a psychopath it's something you should be familiar with.

Not saying it stops all suffering, but there are hundreds of millions of people who act every day in ways to prevent suffering to others. Kinda silly to fully dismiss that, even if it's the current rage to be all grimdark about things.

 

[Von Strimmer]

So OP if you found a small bag of uncut diamonds you would throw them out and never think about it again? Or would you sell them?

 

[BroJing]

Congratulations, you learned what the water-diamond paradox is and then put it on the net in the most condescending way possible.

No, a diamond has no value to it nor does gold, silver, dollar bills or anything else we base entire economies on. Humanity assigns that value for a variety of reasons from aesthetics to rarity. Once it's established it's nearly impossible to break (though the age of cyber-banking where millions of dollars/pounds exists as a few keystrokes will most likely eventually do just that).

So for the moment humanity as a whole has agreed diamonds are worth alot and if you want to show someone you care then society will most easily recognise that with a diamond ring/gemstone ring. Sure you can say 'I don't care what people think' but for the sake of some cash which, as discussed, also does not actually have any value to it beyond a grand social agreement, wouldn't it be easier just to do it and make your partner happy?