Did you know, that the custom of middle-class and working-class men emulating the rich and giving diamonds to their sweethearts upon their engagements, happened because of Hollywood? See here and here. As the first article points out, diamonds truly are a scam, as they can't be resold for their retail value, due to their prices being artifically inflated by the De Beers cartel. (Who, BTW, are also, conveniently, the ones responsible for the custom of a man spending two months' salary on a diamond ring; see here.) And diamonds are the source of untold human misery in Africa, in many ways; in terms of the treatment of the miners, by their overseers, shooting them if they suspect them of hiding diamonds on their person; in terms of the diamond trade being used by terrorists and rebels to finance uprisings against governments, etc. (Ironically, the Hollywood movie "Blood Diamond" is probably the best depiction of this, in its excellent portrayal of how the diamond trade financed the civil war in Sierra Leone.)
Anyway, my point is not to knock men who sacrifice and give their sweethearts diamond rings as seals of their engagement, and intention to marry; I'm just pointing out how much impact Hollywood has had on the culture, from its earliest days; probably far more than any of us are truly aware. Wheels, within wheels...
There are times that one wishes things would fall apart quicker, so that people might learn the hard lessons of life sooner. Even though many are now writing about how feminism has hurt women, there are still plenty of 20-something women out there who think that their opportunities are endless and that they can hold out for the guy of their dreams. All one needs to do to confirm this is read what people write on Facebook and on dating sites.
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