This depiction is camouflaging itself as if it is a brutally truthful account of the way things are, but I don't see how it even remotely stacks up to reality f

This depiction is camouflaging itself as if it is a brutally truthful account of the way things are, but I don't see how it even remotely stacks up to reality from any angle you look at it. * A minority of men are truly financially secure, doesn't seem to stop couples from marrying * Lots of people marry when young, a time when financial situations tend to be weak/modest. * With this kind of reasoning you might as well extend the 'what's the point to marriage' to include those who are financially secure, it's ridiculous * A woman, calculating enough to decide the decision on whether to marry on the current finances of a man, is just as likely to assess a broad range of factors, such as health and future earning potential. If you're going to take a sober point of view, a more convincing case is this: The social norms are that diamond rings are part of the marrying process, people, on the whole, tend to stick to the social norms. It's what is expected, it's cultural and doing feels 'wrong' and maybe even shameful. There's potential pain involved in not following the expected course of action. This is why people who go into extra debt to purchase an expensive ring, it's what it means if you don't get it. If you have a couple that clouds their better judgment to meet expectations set by culture and by conforming to norms like a sheep, what's the point. In my experience women (and men) want to feel special. If you are able to make your partner feel special on an ongoing basis, you have pretty good odds to create a meaningful partnership. A diamond ring purchase is not a reliable indicator of said ability (it may be indicative of the opposite, but that's another matter).