The World Beyond BetterMost > Anything Goes
On Diamonds
delalluvia:
--- Quote from: serious crayons on January 18, 2010, 12:51:07 pm ---It may not constitute a majority of Earth's inhabitants, but it's millions of people. Plus, I have two small diamond ear studs unrelated to my marital status.
However, the movie suggested that it is possible to buy diamonds that aren't "blood diamonds." It probably takes some careful consumerism, just as when you buy a foreign-made rug you want to make sure it wasn't made by children.
--- End quote ---
I don't want to get too far OT from this thread, but IMO, it's a minor issue. Any guarantee that one might get probably isn't worth the paper it's written on. How could you possibly verify it? And IMO, it's more meaningful to give up something that really hurts one - not a luxury item - to show one's disgust and protest human rights abuses.
Like I said, Angola used the sale of their oil to fund atrocities as well. Human rights abuses happen in Saudi Arabia, too.
It's easy to give up diamonds. See anyone lining up to give up their oil yet?
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: delalluvia on January 18, 2010, 01:07:28 pm ---It's easy to give up diamonds. See anyone lining up to give up their oil yet?
--- End quote ---
Well, yeah, actually, from all appearances lots and lots of people are doing what they can to reduce their use of oil, from buying high-mileage cars to turning down their thermostats to eating local produce. Are many Westerners giving up all use of oil entirely? No. That's close to impossible for most people in industrialized countries. But obviously the issue of reduction is very much on the table.
As for giving up diamonds vs. oil, I don't see that it has to be either/or. Sure, many billions of people may never buy a diamond -- but SOMEBODY is buying them, and whoever that is holds some influence over the industry and its practices.
delalluvia:
--- Quote from: serious crayons on January 18, 2010, 01:17:11 pm ---Well, yeah, actually, from all appearances lots and lots of people are doing what they can to reduce their use of oil, from buying high-mileage cars to turning down their thermostats to eating local produce. Are many Westerners giving up all use of oil entirely? No. That's close to impossible for most people in industrialized countries. But obviously the issue of reduction is very much on the table.
As for giving up diamonds vs. oil, I don't see that it has to be either/or. Sure, many billions of people may never buy a diamond -- but SOMEBODY is buying them, and whoever that is holds some influence over the industry and its practices.
--- End quote ---
OK, but I don't see that. In a recession, no one is giving up their old cars to buy expensive hybrids. People are buying cheap foods, local produce is limited in winter and why spend the gas to drive to a farmer's market when the grocery store is 5 blocks away? If you are lucky enough to have a thermostat and central air (the majority of houses in my mother's neigthborhood, including hers do not) , people are turning them down to save money, not to protest human rights abuses.
Someone does buy the diamonds, but not enough to make much of an impact, IMO, in the fight against human rights violations. I think it's an empty gesture for most people. The people who might make the biggest impact on blood diamonds are the buyers - not the retail buyers - the DeBeers people, the Cartier people. Have them cut off buying such gemstones and a difference might be made.
Front-Ranger:
This is an interesting discussion, but not related to movies per se. Care if I split this off into Anything Goes??
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on January 18, 2010, 02:09:06 pm ---This is an interesting discussion, but not related to movies per se. Care if I split this off into Anything Goes??
--- End quote ---
Good idea, FRiend, thanks!
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