I love how both of you are basically just arguing about different ways of how women have no agency. "Those women" are definitely "brainwashed" but phrasing it

I love how both of you are basically just arguing about different ways of how women have no agency. "Those women" are definitely "brainwashed" but phrasing it that way is very condescending. It's called advertising and culture and you're not immune to propaganda either. Some women genuinely value conspicuous consumption as a status symbol the same way some men do. Some women believe diamond rings are a must because "that's the way it is" and they don't want to be outsiders. Some women just like sparkly shiny things. Calling any of this "brainwashing" makes it sound like this is odd or noteworthy: you only think so because you're appaled by this particular example but you're likely ignorant to the myriads of ways you yourself hold irrational, toxic or even self-destructive values and beliefs due to your upbringing and the culture you exist in. Yes, diamonds bad. But women who want diamonds aren't exceptionally shallow or odd as humans. They're just shallow and odd in people you are aware of and find distasteful.