The 4 minute video takes us through the history of the engagement ring, a material good that so many of us now both associate and expect as a “symbol of love.”
The video shows us how this now commonly accepted viewpoint was molded into all of us by nothing more than an advertising campaign by the diamond juggernaut De Beers.
(Warning: This video contains both coarse language and some mature themes)
For me, the first message to really stand out in this video was the incredible impact that mass advertising can have on us as a collective. Far too often we not only automatically accept that which is presented to us in the media, but we also pass it on from generation to generation.
Engagement rings may be one simple -albeit expensive- example, but there are countless material goods regularly promoted to us all that we accept and make their consumption a part of our regular life. It’s not to say that we need to cut off all consumerism, but that we should at the very least in my opinion be informed about everything we consume or believe. The phrase “vote with your dollars” is a simple and powerful reminder of one of the most impactful votes we can regularly cast.
The second message to stand out was the false beliefs that many of us buy into to further back the continued existence of these products and belief systems. The entire bit on how diamonds have no true intrinsic value is some major food for thought, especially considering that so many of us rationalize the purchase decision by seeing it as “an investment.”
The final message to really stand out for me came at the end of the video when the character Adam reminds us of the inherent difficulty in translating this new understanding into a practical change. As true as this may be, especially given our strongly built expectations and the pressures of others, it shouldn’t be enough to make us feel powerless. We all have the freedom and choice to at the very least explore an alternative perspective/ approach to anything.
Be sure to share this video with your networks and comment on any parts that really stood out for you.