Yeah, that movie really opened my eyes about diamonds and the situation with the jewelery industry. Add on top of shiny rocks bathed in the blood of the innocent the fact that many diamonds are kept back from the market to control supply and demand and therefore artificially inflate the price of said rock and that the whole "one month salary" and the concept of an engagement ring at all (there used to just be wedding rings) was created by the jewelery industry to increase sales and I'm just generally pissed off about the whole thing.
I want some kind of ring if I ever get married but I don't want a large center stone at all and I'm hoping for a Russian or Canadian diamond. It would make me feel better. Other options I think I'd like are a non-diamond ring made with stones not mined in Africa. I have a friend that wants an onyx center stone (I thing a black center stone is weird, but whatever).
That just really blows my mind because I never realized how available diamonds really are. As you said, they are killing people for something that isn't even rare! (They shouldn't when it IS rare, but the fact that it is NOT rare just makes it all a hundred times worse!) Greed, it's really sickenning. (And honestly, I am glad to hear that you are pissed about it too, lol
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As someone who's interested in gemology and wants to get into the gem trade eventually, this movie really spoke to me. It's up to both dealer and consumer to find out where your stones are coming from and how. The information is readily available for any certified/graded stone. And if it's not, don't buy it
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and as far as the locals benefiting from the materials being mined in their backyard... doesn't happen so much. Shoot! Look at central Appalachia and their coal mining... 90% of the mineral rights are outsider-owned!!
I'll definitely look into that! The disturbing thing is, there are environmentally friendly ways to mine (well, for precious metals and gems anyway, I don't know anything about sulfide mining). The thing is, it's not as fast or as large scale. Greed breeds strip mines. And no, you're right, the locals almost never benefit and almost always suffer because of mining projects. It's just really frustrating.
Geez, I've never even thought that there are better ways for them to mine. (I was just focusing on the part about the way they are going about treating their workers and the locals.) And that just makes it all worse... disturbing, as you say.
Oh, I don't doubt that. You've always been knowledgable about things like this. I've only just begun to realize the reason's why I should care and get involved with issues and that I can make a difference. So, this movie was an eye-opener for yet another issue that I hadn't really heard much about.
I can imagine! I was quite appauled as well. LOL! ;P
Re: Diamonds vs. bling.adalia_jeanDecember 4 2009, 04:03:28 UTC
"Too bad there can't be commercials about this reality, the way there are now commercials about the reality of cigarettes." That is something that really bugs me--how the media is pushing "going green" and "stop smoking cigarettes" when people are dying because of other people's blatant greed, which could be stopped given the right amount of exposure...
"Prestige is a weird thing. I think it gets to be like a drug sometimes. People will go to some weird lengths to get it." Greed is a terrible thing.... :( (Now I understand why they call it one of the Seven Deadly Sins...)
"There are many kinds of pretty bling that nobody has to die for, or suffer over." You're absolutely right! :)
"(Gaaah. People can be so weird.)" lol! Yes *sigh* unfortunately, they can be...
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I want some kind of ring if I ever get married but I don't want a large center stone at all and I'm hoping for a Russian or Canadian diamond. It would make me feel better. Other options I think I'd like are a non-diamond ring made with stones not mined in Africa. I have a friend that wants an onyx center stone (I thing a black center stone is weird, but whatever).
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http://www.savethewildup.org/
and as far as the locals benefiting from the materials being mined in their backyard... doesn't happen so much. Shoot! Look at central Appalachia and their coal mining... 90% of the mineral rights are outsider-owned!!
you seem swell.
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And thanks, you see swell too. :)
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and I've felt that way about gems for a while now... even before I saw this film.
I almost poo'd masonry when I read that about engagement rings. I'm surprised I haven't lost mine yet... honestly.
:D
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Oh, I don't doubt that. You've always been knowledgable about things like this. I've only just begun to realize the reason's why I should care and get involved with issues and that I can make a difference. So, this movie was an eye-opener for yet another issue that I hadn't really heard much about.
I can imagine! I was quite appauled as well.
LOL! ;P
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Prestige is a weird thing. I think it gets to be like a drug sometimes. People will go to some weird lengths to get it.
And then, like many other drugs, it turns out to be not at all satisfying after a while.
There are many kinds of pretty bling that nobody has to die for, or suffer over.
(Gaaah. People can be so weird.)
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That is something that really bugs me--how the media is pushing "going green" and "stop smoking cigarettes" when people are dying because of other people's blatant greed, which could be stopped given the right amount of exposure...
"Prestige is a weird thing. I think it gets to be like a drug sometimes. People will go to some weird lengths to get it."
Greed is a terrible thing.... :( (Now I understand why they call it one of the Seven Deadly Sins...)
"There are many kinds of pretty bling that nobody has to die for, or suffer over."
You're absolutely right! :)
"(Gaaah. People can be so weird.)"
lol! Yes *sigh* unfortunately, they can be...
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