TRU TV bring's Adam Conover's College Humor-show to the network as "Log In." ALog In includes a couple mature-language clips. I'll get to the one about 'how tipping is a scam encouraged by cheapo restauranteers' later, but first ... the Diamond engagement ring scam. According to Conover, engagement rings were not a normal thing untilLog In-advertising convinced people that the wedding-ring was the necessary key to marriage-proposal (so successfully that Beyonce's "Put a Ring On It" clearly means 'ask me to marry you' to all of us, that "he gave me a ring!" clearly means 'he asked me to marry him!") Without DeBeers' advertising, "a diamond has no intrinsic value" (words of one of DeBeers' own executives), and the 'spending two months' salary on a "decent" engagement-ring' has no real basis in fact. But--as Conover admits in the end--the ultimate success of DeBeers' ad-campaign is that 'no "respectable" woman will marry a man who DOESN'T bow to the greedy diamond-monopoly.' (I imagine it's society's way of "evolving past" the practice of 'paying theLog In.')
I laughed out loud when I watched that video! I will not make my fiance spend three months salary on my ring. We could go on at least 4 vacations with that kind of money. I don't care how much he spends on a lil rock and piece of metal for my finger. What I do care about is how much he will love me and his loyalty.
Isn't it rather shallow to expect this sort of thing anyway? As @steph84 quite rightly says, it's not about the rock at all - it's about the man you 're marrying. If you're disappointed abut the lack of diamonds then I strongly suggest you re-examine your reasons for wanting to get married.
Engagement ring is really a great remembrance for girl. I am getting engaged in the month of February 2016 and it is my great wish to have diamond ring for my beloved. This is the time when girl wants that her better half should give her such remembrance that will remain afresh through out her life.
I absolutely agree with most members. I think people should buy what they can afford, and not bow down to any pressure. Clearly if the woman gauges the love her man has for her by the size of the rock he gives her, she's shallow. I often shudder and cringe when I hear that some couples take out eye-watering loans to get married, which they then spend years paying off. Some even head for the divorce courts before the ink's even dry on their marriage certificates, and I just wonder who gets left with the massive bill. It's crazy.
I am fully agree with you. My engagement is also fixed for 28th March, 2016. I want to give one beautiful diamond ring to my would be better half. When I asked for her choice she strictly prohibited me to buy diamond ring. She is of the view I should give her one simple gold ring as diamond ring will be costly and remaining amount will come to use later in our family life. I really appreciate her ideas.
My engagement is fixed for 22nd feb 2015 and my hubby is anxious to give me diamond ring. He is saving amount for the purpose since last one year. I told him that I do not want diamond ring but I need his love . But he is not agree. He has already chosen the ring and wants me to give surprise.
No, man! Did you not read the words of the jewelry-company's own executive that diamonds have "no intrinsic (built-in, basic, essential) value?" If you can't BE the remembrance (providing new, useful gifts) for the rest of her life, why get married? When she's got the diamond-ring that'll last the rest of her life, what does she need you for? When you could use that money to take her on a vacation-or-four, why waste it on something that's no fun?That's something like 'the reason why I dropped-out of college' (when I realized I wasn't going to get the massive dollar-amount (in settlements & -salary) I was led to believe I am owed). Sure, many would say that "a degree would have given me 'the power to earn enough to pay my loans and live a good life'; but ... I am moved to take up the family tradition that's been broken by my family's baby-boomers & its Generation-X'ersLog In). I've even sorta broken it by finishing 'high-school' (which I now think they should call 'upper-middle school' or 'high-elementary school'). See, my grandfather was illiterate in the eighth grade---back when teachers didn't have to be so "P.C." and so his teacher flat-out told his parents that he was "too stupid for school." And sure, maybe that's a little depressing to hear; but (long-story-short) it didn't stop him from learning enough to be more-educated than TWO degreed engineers! (Ford's Fred Jones Manufacturing had to hire THREE degreed engineers to take his place when he retired!) (And I know I've probably mentioned him in other discussions here, but I think it's worth the extra meditation!)
Wow @mythman, your grandfather sounds like an amazing man! I'm not surprised that you're as proud of him as you are. Some people are not academically gifted, but can still do very well in other areas such as business. In fact, some of the richest men out there do not have 2 formal qualifications to rub together between them. Two of those who come to mind are Lord Alan Sugar and Richard Branson, who I believe is actually dyslexic. They didn't let their 'handicaps' hinder them from forging ahead and doing well for themselves, so well that they are now some of the wealthiest people in the world. Just because someone is not academically gifted, doesn't make them stupid.
Buying jewelry is not a wastage of your money as it is a process of making an asset and giving a wonderful piece of love in the form of gift to your loved one. Though, one must buy what he/she can afford.
My friend and I just watched this video the other day and had a laugh about it. Spend what you want and can afford to spend, if they say no because of the price then they weren't actually worth it to begin with.