Bling. Bling.

Diamonds are immensely disgusting. It makes me sick that people wear them so freely, and are so proud of the fact. Set aside how I feel about marriage itself (not a fan), the diamond is way worse. They didn't just become accessible when Europe desecrated Africa, hate and self-righteousness became fashionable. Diamonds became power and a weapon, and a torture device. (Note, I'm still talking about African diamonds here, not American marriages, but I can see where one may be confused.) Inhumane greed, and nothing more, is why diamonds are associated with engagements.

"Hey, baby. Thousands of humans were killed, homes destroyed, and cultures eradicated to bring you this symbol of my naive or selfish or ill-advised desire to make you my wife. Please ditch your families' names and your religious beliefs to make me feel suffocated, resentful and often lonely for the next 5-8 years. You'll get plenty in the divorce because I'll get promotions more easily now. I'll be satisfied until then because I'll get head from the 19-year-old-art-student waitresses at No-FLO Java that only dig married dudes. I get to keep my 100cc-s of preserved 'Dave Juice'."