Ustwo

Based on the adds I've seen, the one factor that seems to be consistant, is that very attractive women like diamonds.

Do diamonds have some magical power which makes women hot, and they must feed off them to maintain their looks?

Is it the giving of diamonds that allows one to mate with attractive females?

I am perplexed.

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shakran

and more to the point, with the diamond being one of the most common stones on the planet, why are people fooled into letting the deBeers cartel jack the prices sky high?

Impetuous1

No, actually, I think that all attractive people are actually automatons that have no real feelings nor are they especially attracted to anyone else since they are so good looking. To have their need for sex met, after their hand gets tired from masturbating in the mirror, they agree to go out with someone for diamonds. This makes the trade off worth it to them. They get a diamond. You get to have sex with them.

cellophanedeity

I'm confused Ustwo. Are you serious here, or are you just making a comment on diamond commercials.

If you're serious, then yes, I'd assume that less attractive women like diamonds as well, and it's just the general public that doesn't like seeing less attractive women in their advertisments.

The giving of diamonds probably has some link to mating, but I doubt it's magic. It's probably just that the gift of a status symbol makes people feel good about themselves.

Seems less silly than the office workers who drive SUVs.

Impetuous1

I think Ustwo was joking. I hope. I know I was.

Willravel

Having posted along with Ustwo for over a year, I'd say he's almost certianally making a statement about commercialism. I tend to agree. Pandering to man's lower nature only serves to bring it forward.

Siege

In an anime I watched recently, there was a character that literally ate diamonds. I guess it helps that her power was to turn her body as hard as a diamond.

So if you know anyone really diamond crazy, don't get into a fight with her. You'll just hurt your fist

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Gilda

Certain commodities are sold in part based on the implication that using them will make you more very attractive. Things like diamonds, soap, scents, certain cars, etc. use very attractive models for the purpose of saying you, too, can look this good if you buy from us!

To answer the questiion, though, I don't care for diamonds--my engagement ring is a blue topaz--and Grace doesn't either, so that's at least one less attractive and one strikingly beautiful woman each who doesn't care for them.

Gilda

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cellophanedeity

Either you're being unjust to Grace, or unjust to yourself here. Remember positiveness and assertiveness Gilda?

Anyway, we all know you're beautiful.

Elphaba

Ustwo, please tell me that you are not serious with this post. Perhaps you have been encouraged to post elsewhere by the mods, and you are willing to toss anything out there?

Madcow, it's *ads*, not adds. This might explain your misconception about many things, including what *any* woman prefers.

If you are so perplexed, please share with us your personal experience. Is your wife less than attractive? A picture would be helpful. Does she have no attraction to diamonds, which might confirm your unattractiveness theory?

Or have you a "secret pleasure" with a beautiful woman that loves diamonds, but is not your wife?

This is not unlike many of your posts, but for once, I am curious. Any chance that there might be a similar episode on "Desparate Housewives?"

Gilda

I'm not being negative. I just have a realistic assessment of my physical attractiveness, which puts me at about average. Not ugly by any means, but no more than moderately pretty at most, which more than qualifies me for "less attractive" than the models you see in most tv commercials.

Grace, on the other hand, is a smokin' hot babe. As are you, by the way.

Gilda

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cyrnel

Modesty is healthy.

Ustwo, do we get a follow-up? I think we all acknowledge jewels as a material obsession and marketing as manipulative, so are you just taking in too much television these holidays?

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Ustwo

You know even if I didn't know you were both female I would know now

If you would like more explanation why, it could make an interesting thread I'm sure.

Oh and Elphaba check out my posting history some time



Shes a hottie so of course she likes diamonds, I am trying to see if she indeed eats them or somehow drains them of power.

All of my pleasures with other women are in full view of my wife, so they are never secret (posting history again )

I was thinking more the X-files.

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Ustwo

I've always had a bit of an annoyance with the 'attractive' factor on TV, but especially diamond adds, where the very attractive women (of early to late middle age as young people can't afford diamonds so they don't get advertized to) can't see how much they love their husband until he gives her the shiny bauble.

Add to it that it’s a commodity of monopolized scarcity and it makes me want to spit.

The message of course being ‘if he loves you, he will buy you a diamond’. The commercial that made me go over the edge is the current on going one where the guy is going to miss christmas with his woman because there are no airline flights, somehow gets there riding a snowplow, she comes out looking all confused and then its all so clear when he gives her the diamond necklace, where she melts with adoring eyes. Him being there just confused her, but he brought diamonds, NOW it all makes sense!

Just a note for the young men out there, if you ever are with a girl who isn’t happy to see you unless you bring gifts, find another woman.

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hrandani

That commercial also made me pretty upset.

Diamonds and love shouldn't be associated anyway . Cold, hard, indestructible (hah!) clear and sharp - what?

cyrnel

That one struck me as especially sad. Broken values. It has an element of "average guy gets strikingly beautiful woman by compensating with gifts." Couldn't help but notice some irony in their trading of addictions. Still, you're right. It's over the top.

I watched a nephew play San Andreas a few weeks ago. In the game he was driving and listening to the radio when a parody advertisement played. It began with some couple quarrelling, then he gave her a diamond at which point she couldn't remember why she was mad. "Would you like a blowjob?" I think the game authors agree with you.

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There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

analog

Well that's harsh. Why would you take something as relatively innocuous as pondering the use of attractive females in diamond commericals, and attempt to parlay it into some sort of accusation of adultery? Seems unfounded and unnecessary, really.

How about we take what could be a good topic about the use of "attractive people" in advertising, or about the commercialism of love, or really any number of other good directions this could easily run, and make a discussion out of it, or at least something positive- instead of a few negative quips.

I think we can have some interesting and constructive discussions here, if we can set aside the unnecessary personal affronts and just have a conversation like normal, civilized people. Sound good? Awesome. I knew you'd think so.

Oh- and it's *desperate*, not desparate.

- analog.

cyrnel

Isn't that a new series? MTV's reality show following the nightmare existences of a disparate cross-section of desperate housewives: Trailer-park Barbie, Moody Maude, Pugilist Peg, Diamond-Di... Oh, and Puck has a cameo role as community gigolo.

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There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

Grasshopper Green

I don't think this is just limited to the diamond industry, as Gilda already mentioned. I'm sure I'm not the only person here who has noticed that advertisements for firming creams, control top nylons, and anti wrinkle creams are done by women who have no cellulite, have taut stomachs, and nary a crows foot to be seen. I read that the Dove ads that have been done recently with "real" women (many who are still thin by average woman standards) may backfire because no one wants to see real women in advertising..ya know..the ones with stretchmarks, not so perfect tummies (omigod! not everyone has six packs and washboards?), and have thighs with a little bit of flesh on them. It's a fantasy world that is perpetuated by society because we, as a society in general, want to see that ideal with our products. Why, I don't know. I don't know if it's because human brains are triggered by attractive faces, or because we are all vain (and I"m making generalizations of society as a whole, not targeting anyone here), or perhaps its a little of both.

As for wooing a woman with diamonds...well ya, it happens...I guess clear rocks do that to some people.

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Mantus

I don't get this question. It's advertising!

ratbastid

What really freaks me out are those shadown women who love diamonds. You know, they're just a silhouette, yet their shadow finger can support a diamond ring. It just ain't natural.

Combine it with over-the-top classical music, and you've got material for years of nightmares and therapy.

Lebell

If anyone want's to find a real life example of the illuminate, they need to look no further than De Beers.

How many organizations can convince millions of people that an occassion is somehow cheapened unless they overpay for a piece of rock that isn't that rare and, imo, isn't the prettiest rock out there?

Sadly, that is what my wife wanted as well.

*trapped in the matrix*

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martinguerre

i'm sure other folks have heard this...but i think it's funny to note.

a diamond isn't forever. it has a negative delta g...carbon prefers to be in graphite form more than diamond. over a long enough time, diamonds will crumble into pencil lead.

if i was buying a stone for an engagement ring/whatever...i doubt it would be a diamond...but i have one from in the family...so that's that.

diamonds are overpriced, support bloody conflicts in africa, and did i mention overpriced?

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maleficent

lasts longer than the relationship does however...

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shakran

Just about any rock will do that. But somehow I think my lady would have been annoyed if I'd proposed with a granite ring

*Nikki*

I like diamonds=fact.

Women in commericals are attractive=fact.

Your post=WTF?

guthmund

Well, I imagine that thing would be quite heavy....perhaps a lighter type stone?

I can't stand the diamond commercials almost as much as I dislike truck commercials.

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genuinegirly

I'm not a fan of diamonds. Plain band or exciting exotic gemstone works for me. shakran, yeah... granite wouldn't go over too well. Unless the entire ring were made out of a fine polished granite. Now that'd be pretty cool. Especially since granite has issues when one attempts to cut it small.

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kutulu

It may have a negative delta G but that doesn't mean the phase change occurrs on its own.

Lebell

If I remember minerology correctly, it actually does phase change on it's own. The change is so small however that it would take a couple of million years for the average diamond to change completely to graphite.

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rofgilead

Well.. I think people buy diamonds regardless of their attractiveness because they have been led into believing it is traditional and right and meaningful (diamonds are forever = love forever).

But, don't buy your significant other a diamond. You are supporting De Beers, you are supporting blood diamond business in africa and you are wasting money. Anyways, within the decade synthetic diamonds will appear that will have exactly the same physical properties as mined diamonds, and all diamonds will become common-place and the symbol status might disappear. So, buy gold some other metal that cannot be created by man (except through fusion... hehe..)
Researchers have already made synthetic diamonds, indistinguishable from naturally produced diamonds, and they are getting the ability to produce them to any size and atomic composition - goodbye diamond monopoly!

Ustwo

I see a pattern developing.

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martinguerre

i wouldn't know on my own, but my prof for gen chem made a point of it...it's spontaneous, and very, very slow.

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longbough

Diamonds only work for attractive women.

Similarly, feminine hygeine products, luxury vehicles and Caribbean cruises appeal only to attractive women. The unattractive women attend Jerry Springer.

Elphaba

^^^ and monster truck events.

Suave

That sounds like a sweet deal for attractive people. Is there somewhere I can sign up to join the club and get this "sex and diamonds" deal? What if two attractive people have sex with each other? Do they exchange diamonds, or do they just forego the diamonds? Or, are is the diamond-giving based on which of the attractive people is slightly more attractive based on the results of a poll, or is it gender-based? If it is gender-based, how do homosexual sex partners who are both attractive decide who gives out the diamonds?

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Rodney

As is often the case, Lewis Black has the ultimate word on women and diamond ads:
He was on the Daily Show riffling through a gift catalog aimed at the extremely wealthy. Then he held up a page: "Look! A diamond bracelet -- 'for her.' Only TEN MILLION DOLLARS!"

"TEN MILLION DOLLARS! Men, my question is this: HOW HORNY ARE YOU? Because I know a place where TEN MILLION DOLLARS will get you laid ONE MILLION TIMES!"

And that's why I can't watch diamond commercials any more without giggling

fresnelly

If you must buy diamonds (my family has a tradition of using sapphires as the centre stone) consider Canadian mined diamonds:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/diamonds/

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Ustwo

I had heard that De beers purchased those claims.

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la petite moi

I like diamonds (not overly, mind you) and I'm not completely awful looking.