我的老婆是個例外，對鑽戒從沒興趣，假如我死慳死抵儲錢買給她一枚，她不但不會領情，還會罵我亂花錢。這個不愛鑽戒的女人說：「我不覺得鑽石特別美，就算我覺得，也不認為值得花那麼多錢買一枚戒指。其實這不純粹是鑽石美不美的問題，要不是鑽石那麼昂貴，我很懷疑會不會還有那麼多女人喜歡鑽戒。」
有一次在一個聚會裏，聽到有人問一個女人（不是我們的熟朋友）希望丈夫送給她甚麼作結婚十周年的禮物，那女人說：「當然希望他送我一枚大大的鑽戒喇！」老婆對那「當然」二字很不以為然 --- 為甚麼是「當然」，難道真的不會有其他更好的禮物嗎？她真的那麼愛鑽石？還是只是愛鑽石的價錢？
可能那個女人的確覺得鑽石很美，問題是，假如鑽石突然變得一文不值，她仍會和從前一樣覺得鑽石是那麼的美嗎？
哈哈，季芬財出現！
回覆刪除鑽石既價格係故意提高既...
回覆刪除之前在電視劇聽過一句對白：鑽石咪不過係碳！
回覆刪除In college, once I was invited and driven to a party by a friend (It's the 1st anniversary of a restaurant owned by his relative in a rich neighborhood.) I didn't know about the whole thing; my friend said he was buying me dinner and I didn't know he was quite rich. A bunch of rich women there was comparing their big diamond rings after the dinner. It's like "ha ha ha, look at mine, ooh ooh aah, look at yours..." After swallowing some carbon (in food) they show off some carbon on their fingers. Were the rings shiny? Beautiful? I don't know. I didn't get a glimpse. I was more interested in exchanging nicety with the host and listening to the his speech (he was also in academia, a mix of restaurant owner and researcher made the speech quite entertaining to me) addressing and thanking his employees and friends. --zpdrmn
回覆刪除//鑽石既價格係故意提高既...//
回覆刪除they do that because they can. Rich people will still buy diamonds. --zpdrmn
其實生活上，唔係真係咁多女人鍾意鑽戒個噃（據小弟觀察）！口頭話想男人買，只係種考驗，睇下你願唔願意俾。真係買，唔少人唔一定會鍾意。
回覆刪除我唸與其講鑽戒，不如講樓盤。時下如果你居無定所，都有個姑娘肯跟你，就真係幾世修到囉～
cyc
I don't like diamonds at all either. Not only the monetary value of diamond is ridiculously high, the human cost - whether it is legal or blood diamond - as a result of the artificial demand for it makes it anything but "beautiful" for me, diamond and gold are the reasons for birth of the Union of South Africa. The association of diamond to eternal love is the result of De Beers' marking campaign.
回覆刪除I wonder though, how many women would change their mind on diamonds just because they are told the history of the trade?
Kris C.,
回覆刪除//哈哈，季芬財出現！//
- Yes, diamonds are Giffen goods.
Charles,
回覆刪除//鑽石既價格係故意提高既...//
- 當然是故意的，可以這樣故意，皆因很多人願意付那價錢。
Heiman,
回覆刪除//之前在電視劇聽過一句對白：鑽石咪不過係碳！//
- 也可以說任何物質的東西都不過是一堆原子。
zpdrmn,
回覆刪除//they do that because they can. Rich people will still buy diamonds.//
- That's right. Indeed, it's exactly because diamonds are so pricey that wealthy people will buy them.
cyc,
回覆刪除//其實生活上，唔係真係咁多女人鍾意鑽戒個噃（據小弟觀察）！//
- 可能你觀察的都是靚妹。
//我唸與其講鑽戒，不如講樓盤。時下如果你居無定所，都有個姑娘肯跟你，就真係幾世修到囉～//
- 先樓盤，後鑽戒。
Lin,
回覆刪除// The association of diamond to eternal love is the result of De Beers' marking campaign.//
- That's exactly right.
//I wonder though, how many women would change their mind on diamonds just because they are told the history of the trade?//
- I doubt that many would change their mind.
//其實這不純粹是鑽石美不美的問題，要不是鑽石那麼昂貴，我很懷疑會不會還有那麼多女人喜歡鑽戒。
回覆刪除或多或少跟優越感（以及相關連的一系列感受）有關吧。
克萊門特,
回覆刪除//或多或少跟優越感（以及相關連的一系列感受）有關吧//
- 對，因為鑽石是貴得「很多人也買不起」的。
你寫這篇，叫人怎和應呢？若說yeah yeah yeah我也不愛鑽石，顯得扮清高，若說很愛鑽石，又顯得貪務虛榮。
回覆刪除世人都有種偏見，認為愛鑽石的一定愛錢，其實愛錢又有甚麽錯呢──只要他／她不光是愛錢不愛人，也不為愛錢而不擇手段。
我相信不愛鑽石的人比愛鑽石的人多。若有人送鑽石給我，我會話不如直接送錢啦唔該。
karol,
回覆刪除貪務虛榮的女人一定愛鑽石，但愛鑽石的女人不一定貪貪務虛榮。其實這篇沒有說愛鑽石有甚麼錯，也沒有說愛錢有甚麼錯，只是說有些人以為自己愛鑽石之美，可能只是愛鑽石的價值。
//若說yeah yeah yeah我也不愛鑽石，顯得扮清高//
回覆刪除Not liking diamonds in itself doesn't make one less 虛榮, and as Wong said liking diamond doesn't make one 虛榮. If people like money for its own sake, then they should be wise enough to know what they are actually buying - a socially constructed image.
In the academic social circle, probably an antique piece jewelry with craftsmanship & a good story attached will gain one more social approval than a diamond.
Designer bags and diamonds 對一般人沒太大實際用途。Bags are for holding personal items, diamonds are to cut really hard stuff. 即使再欣嘗那個 design，那石的拆射，又值唔值咁貴？都係商業手段；睇中人性弱點的手段。冇唔會死，有又不見得令人聰明啲。重要開個保險箱放，又怕工人偷 ...... / Mirror
回覆刪除Mirror,
回覆刪除人的慾求決定了很多東西的市場價值，有用無用，已不相干了。