In the mean time, the amount of human misery and suffering that it takes to get a diamond to the market is horrendous.
Yeah, but thats the sick part about it.. People probably like the idea that people died for their "luxury" item. Sort of how rich people find the idea of having illegals "nanny" and clean their houses puts them on a pedestal above others, cause they don't wash their own clothes... Some poor illegal is doing it for 3 bucks an hour to send the money back home, and in the employer's mind, they probably justify it by thinking "hey, i'm helping a poor family!"
The art of self justification is one skill society has mastered. Just absolve any personal responsibility with poor excuses and the conscious is cleared!
People still wear furs, and leather. I feel like these are pretty much on the same scale, just one involves animals and teh other involves poor people in Africa (animals to most)... I wear leather, but in reality, i'd rather wear hemp shoes
Of course, social stigmas are all in the wrong places. Harvesting plants = boring, harvesting people/animals = luxury! Why is that? Me thinks its psychological like i described above. I wish i had an all encompassing term for that, i'm sure there is one..