Diamonds are forever
Every year or so a movie comes out that makes you ashamed to be a human being. When conflicts we read about in 200 word newspaper blurbs are projected onto the silver screen in a personalized, two-hour form, works of fiction help us to truly comprehend the darkest corners of reality.
Hotel Rwanda was one such film. Blood Diamond is another.
The late showing on a Monday night was pretty empty, but with Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead, the film is bound to get some attention – bad news for the dirty diamond industry.
For those who don't know, the film focuses on both a smuggler (Leonardo DiCaprio) and a peaceful fisherman (Djimon Hounson) driven to desperation by the capture of his family by rebel forces in Sierra Leone. DiCaprio makes Hounson his partner after realizing he has stashed the holy grail of diamonds somewhere deep in hostile territory. Both their fates depend on the monstrous stone.
The plot serves only as a vehicle to drive home the pointed social commentary. At every turn the writer and director force us to deal with the interconnected nature of the world to the point you're disgusted with yourself for not doing a tour of duty in the Peace Corps. When Leonardo DiCaprio's character is confronted by a socially conscious journalist who lectures him about the nature of his business, he points out to her, an American, that "we are in business together," – referring to the diamond industry that is dependent on young American girls' dreams to slip the biggest rock possible on their little fingers.
The diamond industry's trespasses, perhaps only known to politicos and current events junkies, have found another way to slip into the mind of mainstream America.
DiCaprio, along with his co-star, is being considered for an Oscar. Ironically his leading competition will be himself for his role in The Departed. Somewhere between teenage hearthrob and turning 30, he became the best actor in the business.
If Kanye West's "Diamonds are forever" didn't convince you to leave diamonds alone, this movie should.
Hotel Rwanda was one such film. Blood Diamond is another.
The late showing on a Monday night was pretty empty, but with Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead, the film is bound to get some attention – bad news for the dirty diamond industry.
For those who don't know, the film focuses on both a smuggler (Leonardo DiCaprio) and a peaceful fisherman (Djimon Hounson) driven to desperation by the capture of his family by rebel forces in Sierra Leone. DiCaprio makes Hounson his partner after realizing he has stashed the holy grail of diamonds somewhere deep in hostile territory. Both their fates depend on the monstrous stone.
The plot serves only as a vehicle to drive home the pointed social commentary. At every turn the writer and director force us to deal with the interconnected nature of the world to the point you're disgusted with yourself for not doing a tour of duty in the Peace Corps. When Leonardo DiCaprio's character is confronted by a socially conscious journalist who lectures him about the nature of his business, he points out to her, an American, that "we are in business together," – referring to the diamond industry that is dependent on young American girls' dreams to slip the biggest rock possible on their little fingers.
The diamond industry's trespasses, perhaps only known to politicos and current events junkies, have found another way to slip into the mind of mainstream America.
DiCaprio, along with his co-star, is being considered for an Oscar. Ironically his leading competition will be himself for his role in The Departed. Somewhere between teenage hearthrob and turning 30, he became the best actor in the business.
If Kanye West's "Diamonds are forever" didn't convince you to leave diamonds alone, this movie should.
Labels: international politics, movies, personal choice, Social Justice
Russell Simmons is out there supporting the diamond trade.
http://xxlmag.com/online/?p=6573
Posted by Anonymous | 11:19 AM
Although I'm no big fan of diamonds, it is possible to buy diamonds that are certified not to have come from conflict areas. In addition, you can buy diamonds that come directly from Canada, and bypass the whole DeBeers cartel.
The whole reason diamonds are valuable at all is that DeBeers buys so many diamonds and just hides them away in a warehouse. If every diamond that was mined made it into the market, diamond prices would probably drop 90%.
Also, if you can get diamonds from Botswana, then you're supporting a successful African democracy, at least according to this CNN propaganda I'm sure had nothing to do with Blood Diamonds: link.
Posted by Chris | 3:52 PM