Comments on: This Christmas, buy her a relationship based on uneasy power games http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/ Just another WordPress weblog Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:29:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: JoAnne http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475847 Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:04:56 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475847 What about the competitive nature of the diamond purchase for an engagement ring -- the whole 'two months' salary' rule? The couple's friends and family can figure out how big of a "catch" the man is by knowing what the rock is worth. So the man will be tempted to spend more to make them think he's richer than he is. Again, it's all about the man, and his income and net worth, which translates his ability to purchase the services of a woman. What about the competitive nature of the diamond purchase for an engagement ring — the whole ‘two months’ salary’ rule?

The couple’s friends and family can figure out how big of a “catch” the man is by knowing what the rock is worth. So the man will be tempted to spend more to make them think he’s richer than he is.

Again, it’s all about the man, and his income and net worth, which translates his ability to purchase the services of a woman.

]]> by: April http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475766 Fri, 21 Dec 2007 14:49:10 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475766 Great post, thanks for writing this. Great post, thanks for writing this.

]]> by: Jim http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475649 Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:17:59 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475649 Thank you for commenting on how insulting and degrading these ads truly are. From my own point of view, the message I get is the following: "Men, who you are as a person is worthless. If you want a woman to love you, you have to buy her an expensive gift." I really hate those ads. Thank you for commenting on how insulting and degrading these ads truly are.

From my own point of view, the message I get is the following:

“Men, who you are as a person is worthless. If you want a woman to love you, you have to buy her an expensive gift.”

I really hate those ads.

]]> by: Nathan http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475620 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:25:19 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475620 Amanda, if you are talking about that commercial where the guy screams in the Old-world European square that he loves this woman, she was embarassed cuz he was being loud and sounded kinda crazy. If my girlfriend did that I would feel a little awkward too if everyone was looking at me. The ad wasn't saying that a woman's affections are a commodity. Amanda, if you are talking about that commercial where the guy screams in the Old-world European square that he loves this woman, she was embarassed cuz he was being loud and sounded kinda crazy. If my girlfriend did that I would feel a little awkward too if everyone was looking at me. The ad wasn’t saying that a woman’s affections are a commodity.

]]> by: Phoenician in a time of Romans http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475578 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:54:19 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475578 Further - <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/4255414a12.html" rel="nofollow">note this story</a>, and <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/4240969a12.html" rel="nofollow">this one</a>. Sorry - couldn't find the one I cited online. Further - note this story, and this one. Sorry - couldn’t find the one I cited online.

]]> by: Phoenician in a time of Romans http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475576 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:42:28 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475576 <i>hey, Phoenician: I’m asking where you found that possibly only about 1% of diamonds are conflict diamonds. I ask, because, you know: I’ve always liked sparkly shit.</i> Me heap big librarian. You no need apologise asking me to back me shit up - it me job, Newspaper article - Dominion Post, 24 Nov 2007; p.C1,3. "Diamonds to die for" by Nick Churchhouse. hey, Phoenician: I’m asking where you found that possibly only about 1% of diamonds are conflict diamonds. I ask, because, you know: I’ve always liked sparkly shit.

Me heap big librarian. You no need apologise asking me to back me shit up - it me job,

Newspaper article - Dominion Post, 24 Nov 2007; p.C1,3. “Diamonds to die for” by Nick Churchhouse.

]]> by: Caroline http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475574 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:20:11 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475574 togolosh @ 94: I think I would marry a man who presented me with Buckminsterfullerene. togolosh @ 94: I think I would marry a man who presented me with Buckminsterfullerene.

]]> by: holly the contrarian http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475567 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:47:19 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475567 Thanks JohnL and Mustella. Yeah, I just recently became aware of the cocoa problem. Was not aware of the "blood phones". I'm not really sure what to do with that one. I tend to have jobs (like case-management), and will continue to, where people need to be able to get ahold of me at all times of the day or night. (Which sometimes sucks, when there's not a real issue, by the way.) Mustella- yep. have thought about those antique diamonds. My mother collects antiques, and so I have considered that as one of the best options. Nice to know you got it for a song! I never thought that would be a possibility. (I covet my elderly aunt's Tiffany diamond, for pretty much that reason- not because of where her father (my grandfather) purchased my grandmother's engagement ring. It has a history, and much sentimental value. But, I'll probably one day just cave and go in search of my own antique sparkly. Not sure what to do about the cell phone/chocolate deal, though. Other than the obvious with chocolate. Thanks JohnL and Mustella.

Yeah, I just recently became aware of the cocoa problem. Was not aware of the “blood phones”. I’m not really sure what to do with that one. I tend to have jobs (like case-management), and will continue to, where people need to be able to get ahold of me at all times of the day or night. (Which sometimes sucks, when there’s not a real issue, by the way.)

Mustella- yep. have thought about those antique diamonds. My mother collects antiques, and so I have considered that as one of the best options. Nice to know you got it for a song! I never thought that would be a possibility. (I covet my elderly aunt’s Tiffany diamond, for pretty much that reason- not because of where her father (my grandfather) purchased my grandmother’s engagement ring. It has a history, and much sentimental value.

But, I’ll probably one day just cave and go in search of my own antique sparkly.

Not sure what to do about the cell phone/chocolate deal, though. Other than the obvious with chocolate.

]]> by: blondie http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475566 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:45:34 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475566 Mostly off-topic ... Like lots of other Americans, I feel guilty for my unearned affluence and comfort, this includes many of the items I consume. Perhaps not guilty enough to give up my citizenship and try to farm in a drought, but I try to ease up on my footprint. I did not know about blood cocoa or phones. That's just great. Perhaps not an excuse, but I have a limited amount of time each day that I can/will devote to hearing/reading the news. So instead of even the likes of CNN or Public Radio telling me about the real events of the world, I get to know that Britney's little sister is pregnant, and Drew Peterson may have killed his wives. How screwed up is our news, anyway? Mostly off-topic …

Like lots of other Americans, I feel guilty for my unearned affluence and comfort, this includes many of the items I consume. Perhaps not guilty enough to give up my citizenship and try to farm in a drought, but I try to ease up on my footprint.

I did not know about blood cocoa or phones. That’s just great.

Perhaps not an excuse, but I have a limited amount of time each day that I can/will devote to hearing/reading the news. So instead of even the likes of CNN or Public Radio telling me about the real events of the world, I get to know that Britney’s little sister is pregnant, and Drew Peterson may have killed his wives. How screwed up is our news, anyway?

]]> by: JohnL http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475514 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:03:11 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/12/19/6461/#comment-475514 If you worry about blood diamonds, you should also worry about blood cocoa and blood phones. Cocoa is notorious for its use of child labor and it helped to fuel the war in the Ivory Coast. Coltan (used in cell phones, computers, ...) mainly comes out of DR Congo and helped to fuel the war there (the most lethal war since WWII and on the verge of restarting). I know this is a bit off topic, but at least the chocolate sort of goes with it. If you worry about blood diamonds, you should also worry about blood cocoa and blood phones.
Cocoa is notorious for its use of child labor and it helped to fuel the war in the Ivory Coast.
Coltan (used in cell phones, computers, …) mainly comes out of DR Congo and helped to fuel the war there (the most lethal war since WWII and on the verge of restarting).
I know this is a bit off topic, but at least the chocolate sort of goes with it.

]]>