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naraburns  nihil supernum  1yr ago (text post)   3597 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for December 4, 2022

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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Does anyone have any general advice on picking an engagement ring? I'll be proposing soon and I honestly have no idea where to start. I assume that walking into a local jewelry store is the easiest way to do this but also by far the most expensive. Is there a better way?

Is there a better way?

Yes, there is a better way - spending your money on something of actual value.

If gf wants a diamond, explain to her history and present of diamond industry, explain to her the masterful psyop that equated love with gifting your monthly wage (formerly, now it is supposed to be three months) to mafia yakuza drug cartel De Beers corporation.

gf still wants a diamond?

Explain to her that you cannot sell a diamond except at 90% loss (if lucky), explain that diamond is not investment that appreciates, that diamond is not store of value, that diamond is pure money sink.

gf still wants a diamond?

Explain to her that cubic zirconium indistinguishable from diamond provides all benefits of diamond (impressing some species of birds and people with bird brains who are impressed with bright shiny things and being prime target for criminals) at 1/100 price.

gf still wants a diamond?

Replace gf, unless you want to be slave of TV advertising for life.

This is excellent advice for anyone who is currently engaged to and planning on marrying a man. All of those rational explanations will be very convincing if we make the one small assumption that his fiance is, in fact, a bearded adult male who will nod sagely and propose to spend the money on matching rifles and a sensible investment portfolio instead.

Unfortunately it may not be the best route to avoiding hurt feelings if he's for some reason planning on marrying a woman.

Yes, quality firearms are solid store of value at worst, appreciating asset at best, unlike shiney stones ;-)

BTW, do not mistake me for dour puritan hating all luxury, there is nothing wrong with jewelry - trad gold and silver that serves as store of value for bad times, not modern diamond fraud.

Forgive my rant, I know that there are much worse thing going on in the world than diamond industry, but this particular scam somehow triggers me.

(even many hard right wingers feel this way, you do not have to be leftist (if you see me as leftist) to despise such business)

https://www.peakstupidity.com/index.php?post=378

https://www.peakstupidity.com/index.php?post=379

https://www.peakstupidity.com/index.php?post=380

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