Now You Have a Friend in the Diamond Business

Well, now that the holiday gift buying and giving is finally over, I have time to reflect on the advertising that accompanied the process this year. As many of you know, I'm a huge fan of the KQ morning show, which seems to be primarily sponsored by jewelry stores this time of year. Every day for the past month or so, I've listened about a dozen ads from "The King of Diamonds" and my "Friend in the Diamond Business." I've heard the admonishments that men add to their special lady's "jewelry wardrobe" or show her they really love her this season by buying her a pair of diamond earrings. (All the while, I've been hoping someone would help me add to my Metallica t-shirt wardrobe or show me they really love me with a pair of Ozzfest tickets. Diamond earrings sometimes get lost down the drain in the bathroom sink, but memories of Ozzfest last forever.) There is even a jeweler that provides "wish lists" for women to fill out and leave around for a guy to find, perhaps in case he doesn't know what her jewelry wardrobe is comprised of.



What started me on this rant, is that I find certain jewelry ads more than annoying. In fact, they border on sickening when they imply that a woman's loyalty or love or affection can be bought with a pair of earrings. Betty Friedan attacked romantic materialism as a part of the Feminine Mystique in her seminal book over 40 years ago. Yet, still the attachment of materialism to romantic love continues unabated in today's advertising, as distasteful as it is. Of course, the point of the advertisement is to goad men into stopping at the jewelry store and spending a few dollars so that our friend in the diamond business can stay in business, but the core message is that no woman will understand they are cared about unless they are given a symbolic rock or piece of metal.



In Emerson's essay on gifts he said, "Rings and other jewels are not gifts, but apologies for gifts. The only gift is a portion of thyself." What a noble thought, that a bit of yourself is the most worthy gift you can share. Whether that is by helping someone replace a toilet or bringing them Chinese take-out after a long workday, sharing of yourself, of your own thoughtfulness can show that someone special that they are cared for. Emerson is saying that you don't need a friend in the diamond business, you just need to be a friend. What a simple antidote to all of the messages in the jewelry ads. Thank you, Ralph.