Diamonds are forever...a lie?

A Game of Values

I remember watching a video, a while back, of a man crafting a beautiful (finger) ring from a Heineken bottle. And in the usual way my mind works—by connecting seemingly unrelated stuff—I asked a few friends this question:

Why do you value it? Is it because of what it means (to you) or what you were told it means?

Let’s talk about intrinsic value for a moment. There are things that are valuable in and of themselves, take food for example. You don’t need to be taught to value food or water for that matter, you don’t need to be taught to value shelter. Those very basic needs that are valuable in and of themselves. (Inserts a link to an article on Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs)

Anyways, bringing it to these times, an example of somethings we tend to value are phones and computers, because of what they can do for us and what we intend to use them for (yes yes, at least for the most part), and the same goes for cars too. Stretching it a bit further, based on the fact that these items are of actual value to people, the producers then capitalize on that to create an idea of higher worth/value in certain types of cars, and digital devices. This value is not as intrinsic as it is bequeathed. The idea is to change people’ perception of that item, for it to be seen to have more value (through branding and basic manipulation of human appetite and behavior), and if it has more “value”, then, of course, people will be willing to pay more to get it.

Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash (Just to give you a break from reading)

I remember a story I once heard about my grandmother’s brother, and how as kids, he used to collect and store broken plates to “sell” to his siblings. He would inflate the value of the (worthlessly) precious pieces of china and use them as currency to buy one of the things a Nigerian child values the most—the very reason for eating in the first place, the prize at the end of a meal that makes it worth it— the meat. Oh, you think that’s ridiculous? Wait for it.

Back to our precious diamonds, during one of those conversations I mentioned that I had with friends, one of them said this “Diamonds are honestly not even worth all the money people spend on them. They aren’t rare (at least not anymore). Diamonds are now manufactured in labs. So the scarcity of diamonds is completely artificial at this point. That forces prices to go up.” Assuming we wanted to ignore the existence of said lab-grown diamonds, the value of diamonds is still largely a human construct. What will make people value diamonds?

Source: Natural Diamonds

…So somehow down the line, diamonds erupted to become a thing, and people probably thought, if we could get enough of this, then we just might have the upper hand. At this point, others without diamonds or access to them are already feeling like they are missing out on something--which didn’t mean anything to them before they were sold the idea, and so they begin to do all they can to get this “valuable” item. At least that’s how I think it happened, you’re welcome to do a deeper research, but I reckon it won’t be far from this, that’s if “they” let you find the truth anyways. I realize I sound like a conspiracy theorist, and even though I’m not, it’s really okay to sound like one (sometimes), because get this, what if the idea of conspiracy theorists is a conspiracy by people who have something to hide in the first place? But I digress.

Still confused about what has Intrinsic value or not? Well ask yourself this; If you didn’t have anyone to impress, would you still need the thing you crave so badly? I’m not saying don’t get diamonds and the “good things of life” if you can afford it. I’m saying understand what it is truly worth. It is mostly all an idea, a fun game of perception. And it is crazy to think that the most expensive things on earth are not WORTH what they cost. Look at the items that went down in demand and supply during the pandemic, how much jewelry was being sold? How many of those high-end cars were being manufactured? When the rubber hits the road, true value comes afloat.

As I said earlier, I’m not here to raise dust (or maybe I am), but I came by to ask you one question, that I hope you think about critically and answer sincerely;

“If no one ever told you, would you think Diamonds are precious and should be expensive?”

Now what other “Diamonds” in your life do you need to reevaluate?

Till next time, my precious.

Keep breathing.

Do leave a comment, I’m eager to connect with you. And if you felt this story was worth telling, then it’s definitely worth sharing.