A Blog About Making Culture
Blood Diamonds
December 1, 2006
Four years ago, I didn't know anything about diamonds. Then I posted one ill-tempered rant about how annoying and even offensive I found the advertising for the diamond industry. And I'm not easily offended.
I was immediately drawn into a conversation that I didn't know existed, and through emails, comments on this blog, and many other conversations (often with total strangers) I learned a lot more about diamonds. I still don't appreciate their aesthetic, but I am delighted that a lot of people are educated enough that if they do like diamonds, they consider where they were sourced. Friends of mine got engaged recently, and got a Canadian diamond without a second thought -- especially romantic when you have Canadian family members.
And now it seems like we've reached a moment in popular culture where the sourcing of diamonds might actually become a topic of a public debate. Edward Zwick's Blood Diamond opens next week, and the starpower of Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Honsou, and Jennifer Connely can't help but raise awareness of the issue and inspire some people to do some exploration of diamonds.
So, a few links to various resources I found useful:
- Diamonds are for never: The first post I ever wrote about diamonds, it's still one of the most popular posts I've ever written and regularly gets random new people coming in from Google to join the debate.
I know what you're thinking. "It's not that bad." It's just a joke, and I'm taking it too seriously. But how can you look at a list on the industry's own marketing website and see "Of course there's a return on your investment. We just can't print it here." and not be aware that they're selling, along with war and market dominance, dysfunction.
- Have you ever tried to sell a diamond? The Atlantic's seminal 1982 story about the diamond industry, which was one of the first resources to inspire people to rethink the marketing and sourcing of diamonds. Not as early, but also influential, was The Diamond Empire, Frontline's 1994 look at the industry.
- The One Sky campaign and Ten reasons why you should never accept a diamond ring. There's obviously an agenda on that second link, but both sites, especially the One Sky site, contain some valuable information if you're interested.
- Ask MetaFilter often has threads tagged diamonds or diamond. The general slant of these threads is anti-diamond, but there is good information and debate to be found there.
- The resurgence of the diamond debate in popular culture first started gaining prominence with last year's release of Kanye West's Diamonds from Sierra Leone. A brilliant single, an even better remix featuring Jay-Z, and a beautiful video -- it was the perfect conversation starter. The Zwick film of course also features an IMDB profile and an educational site.
- And finally, one last not-safe-for-work link, poking a little fun at DeBeer's print ad campaign, which is where I started in the first place.
Previously: What I do for a living
Next: Surprises Abound
Cory Doctorow
Unfortunately, Warner’s production on Blood Diamond was as exploitative as the diamond mines themselves. They recruited amputee extras from among victims of tribal violence, promising them prosthetic limbs in exchange for their participation, and then never came through on their promise:
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/10/23/warnersstiffsafric.html
"Young Nkululo Mnisi - whose arms and legs were cut off by machete-wielding rebels - used to be taunted by cruel classmates as 'baboon' because of the way he ran on his stumps and crutches. Mnisi told a South African newspaper that the dream that kept him going was the promise of getting artificial limbs so he'd be able to play soccer like a normal child. "But months after filming ended, Mnisi and his fellow amputees were still waiting. When they asked Warner Bros. about the promised prosthetics, they were allegedly told, 'You will have to wait for December, when the movie comes out, so we can get some publicity out of it.'"
leahpeah 
i told joe not to get me diamond for lots of the reasons noted. and now 2 years later i find that i want a yellow one. i hope we can find a place to get one that was harvested in a healthy and unharmful way.
PLC
If you really need to purchase a diamond, check out Gemesis. They produce diamonds in a lab which are indistinguishable from natural diamonds.
http://gemesis.com/default.aspx
Anil Dash
Thanks for the reminder, Paul… I really hold out a lot of hope for synthetic (“cultured”!) diamonds, especially after the Wired story a while back.
Adam Hyland
I would also direct the attention of anyone who wants the long view on the diamonds issue to one of the most fascinating corporate profiles ever written, the Atlantic Monthly’s look at the Debeers stranglehold on the diamond industry.
Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond?
The article is detailed, excoriating and astonishing. Before reading this i had a dim idea as to the nature of the diamond industry, how it might represent a monopoly similar to Standard Oil and other exponents of the genre. Afterwards I sat at my computer screen, shell-shocked. This was a monopoly seized by any means possible over the period of about 15 years. The upheaval of traditional views on diamonds by a determined company seem impossible even in retrospect. This is the sort of thing that we saw time and time again is impossible. And yet, it not only took hold but persevered through numerous shifts in tastes, supply and perspectives.
Jen Yuan
An excellent book came out earlier this year about the modern diamond industry — “The Heartless Stone: A Journey Through the World of Diamonds, Deceit, and Desire” by Tom Zoellner, a former San Francisco Chronicle reporter. His writing is rich and riveting, a compelling mixture of reportage and memoir. When he found it difficult to part with a returned diamond engagement ring, he traveled through six continents for the research that resulted in his book.
I just released a podcast episode featuring an interview I conducted with Zoellner about “The Heartless Stone”, and about the autobiography of Paul Rusesabagina (of “Hotel Rwanda” note), which he co-authored. You can read more and listen in at:
http://1000timesno.net/?p=67
Zoellner talks about many interesting details. For example, the “two months’ salary” guideline was constructed specifically for Americans. In one other industrialized nation, DeBeers told men to drop a single month’s salary. In yet another nation, three months’ salary. Which countries? Tune in to find out.
Adam Hyland
hmmmm….perhaps the preview page was not entirely truthful. here is the naked link:
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198202/diamond
happy reading.
Donnie Jeter
I’ve been called a subject matters expert when it comes to Sierra Leone.
kake79
I appreciate people’s efforts to buy conflict-free diamonds but I would never wear one even if I walked it out of a mine in Canada, not controlled by De Beers, because of the implications of diamonds. Ninety percent of the people seeing that rock on my hand will not know where it’s from. In addition to the artificial desire, tradition, and pricing created by De Beers.
Nate
I bought my wife a diamond ring about 4 years ago for our wedding engagement. Since that time we have both learned of the horror that has taken place and that which still continues. As a consumer of a large diamond I feel partially responsible for the voilence in Africa and I also deeply resent the DeBeers Company for standing by knowingly yet only concerned with the lining of their own pockets
paris
The video is no longer available :(
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