Sunday, November 02, 2003
The love of my life. The twinkle on your finger
American consumerism knows no bounds. I am cheap I admit it. Something to do with my immigrant mentality (or as someone in the USA would say depression mentality). If you have seen poverty face-on in its very gory details, as someone growing up in India is very likely to ave done, it is very easy to lose your appetite for consumerism or more precisely (spending money)
That said American consumers are not a very critical or a bright bunch. Most of the traditions of today and almost all the "days" (like fathers day, mothers day etc) are fads and myths of American marketing that american consumers gooble up by the boatloads and will look at you pittingly if you fail to subscribe to the same values.
Chocolates and Diamonds are today the epitome of your love for your beloved. Without going in to the details of how such show of affection might hurt your wast line or bank balance we merely point out that these traditions were started by Cadbury's and DeBeers respectively in the not so distant past. That's right this timeless gesture of love of giving chocolate on Valentine's day or diamond on engagement day is a marketing ploy and not so timeless afterall.
Furthermore Diamonds (as most other commodities that derive their value from shortages like gold, artwork, collectibles) is artifically priced higher than it should be because of a monoploy and strict rationinig of supply (I am not making it up. The US Department of justice agrees. Google it or read this !)
http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/82feb/8202diamond1.htm
American consumerism knows no bounds. I am cheap I admit it. Something to do with my immigrant mentality (or as someone in the USA would say depression mentality). If you have seen poverty face-on in its very gory details, as someone growing up in India is very likely to ave done, it is very easy to lose your appetite for consumerism or more precisely (spending money)
That said American consumers are not a very critical or a bright bunch. Most of the traditions of today and almost all the "days" (like fathers day, mothers day etc) are fads and myths of American marketing that american consumers gooble up by the boatloads and will look at you pittingly if you fail to subscribe to the same values.
Chocolates and Diamonds are today the epitome of your love for your beloved. Without going in to the details of how such show of affection might hurt your wast line or bank balance we merely point out that these traditions were started by Cadbury's and DeBeers respectively in the not so distant past. That's right this timeless gesture of love of giving chocolate on Valentine's day or diamond on engagement day is a marketing ploy and not so timeless afterall.
Furthermore Diamonds (as most other commodities that derive their value from shortages like gold, artwork, collectibles) is artifically priced higher than it should be because of a monoploy and strict rationinig of supply (I am not making it up. The US Department of justice agrees. Google it or read this !)
http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/82feb/8202diamond1.htm
