The Neglected Aspects of the Water-Diamond Paradox

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات · 2 دقائق وقت القراءة · ~100 ·

التدوين

مدونة Ali

Recently, a friend and I were discussing the water-diamond paradox. The paradox of value (also known as the diamond–water paradox) is the apparent contradiction that, although water is on the whole more useful, in terms of survival, than diamonds, diamonds command a higher price in the market. The abundance of water makes it cheaper than diamond. I asked my friend if he were lost in a desert was very thirsty would he choose a cup of water or a diamond. Surprisingly, he responded he would go for the diamond. He explained his choice that a cup of water would survive him for a short while, whereas diamond would enable him to live luxuriously.

Researches attribute that scarcity of diamond make it more sought-after than water. But I believe there is another undermined factor. It is not being aware of the “take-away” or deprivation factor. If we take away diamond from a person it shall not have the same effect as we deprive same person from water. It is the “withdrawal effect” that is often neglected. There is distortion in looking on the abundance and ignoring the deprivation factor.

This invites for another issue to be addressed. Why so much regulations have been issued worldwide to restrict smoking? It is because we know of the damaging effects of smoking on our health. There is a huge war against smoking. The question is but what about the harmful effects of not drinking enough water? Actually, they may offset those damaging effects of smoking cigarettes. There are at least thirteen problems resulting from not drinking enough water. These include: fatigue, premature aging, Overweight and obesity, high and low blood pressure, high levels of bad cholesterol and disease of the digestive system.

We tend to highlight the benefits of drinking enough water and the damaging effects of smoking. People are more receptive to fear and may respond to campaigns warning against smoking at much higher levels than those encouraging people to drink water. I wonder how many people are aware of the health problems for not drinking enough water.

I shall even dare and mention The Smoking Paradox. Curiously, smokers with acute myocardial infarction have lower short-term mortality rates than nonsmokers. We will find great efforts to offset any benefit for smoking; unfortunately not the same to show the merits of drinking water and the risks in not drinking enough. This is a strange paradox for me. Water is at the heart of life. This is why a human being can survive no longer than few days without water. Drinking water every day (approximately 1.5 liters*), and at regular intervals, 8 times a day (before, during and in-between meals), without waiting until you’re thirsty, is important as part of a healthy lifestyle! In spite of these facts water is of lesser value than diamond even for somebody who is lost in a desert.

We tend to compare the dark sides of one issue with the brighter side of another. This is unfair. People will respond to fear more than other positive emotions. This is why we need to highlight the harmful effects of drinking less-than-needed water. The governments are engaged heavily in regulations prohibiting smoking. But how much effort are they expending in increasing the attention to other basic need of humans? Would a person who quits smoking live a healthy life without drinking enough water?

I dare say that may be drinking insufficient amounts of water is more harmful than smoking. Our bodies are mostly water. So, why the selectivity in choosing issues? This practice is not only concerned with smoking-water issue. It extends to other issues in our lives.

#diamond #Neglected Aspects #water #effect #smoking

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #35

#36
i could nogt agree more with you Harvey Lloyd. Your attitude is almost perfect. I am not saying completely perfect so that you keep moving on.

Harvey Lloyd

منذ 6 سنوات #34

#35
I love woodworking and the one thing i have had to learn, small imperfections is what people like. I was aiming for perfection and fell short on the wood project. But i was able to adapt and overcome through different tips and tricks. That piece being finished and less than perfect i let it go and move on to the next. Perfection should be a target not a lifestyle.

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #33

#34
In devoting my next buzz to study perfectionism from many angles. The topic thrills me.

Harvey Lloyd

منذ 6 سنوات #32

#18
Martin Luther asked and answered some tough questions of his time. Perfection is a process that never ends. Although needling, my daughter and I seem to drop off the wagon of the quest from time to time and poke at each other. This pricking of the finger for perfection is commanding and challenging. But wouldn't have it any other way. The quest of perfection is the paradox that Martin Luther found himself engaged. Specifically when we include the context of the era he lived. His quest has blessed me immensely.

🐝 Fatima G. Williams

منذ 6 سنوات #31

#31
Lisa Vanderburg I will promise myself too :) I will drink water and keep my promise :)

Lisa Vanderburg

منذ 6 سنوات #30

#8
Hi Jerry Fletcher! You talked about oil. I did research on olive oils, then down to basic vegetable/soya oils used in the catering industry. I found out then (years back) that they were boiled at a very high temperature with an alloy to prevent rancidity. Nowadays, they use formaldehyde. Curious the way we overlook what's in front of us! #8 I gotta say I think you're daughter's got it right!

Lisa Vanderburg

منذ 6 سنوات #29

#27
Beautiful , I read somewhere that in more northern climes it's easy to forget just how much water we need....our organs actually are starving for water. It was easier when I lived in Florida - eight pints min a day; much harder in bleedin' chilly UK!

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #28

#29
yes and zi agree . a stone is not life. Water is.

Lisa Vanderburg

منذ 6 سنوات #27

#26
water is life...albeit, in your context, the assumption of survival is taken for granted by your guest. But true thirst would not be overruled by a tiny stone; instinct!

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #26

#27
dear - I learned the hard way the value of drinking water for if we don't our health deteriorates. I developed the habit by two ways. I promised myself to drink up to 2.5 liters daily. I said if I fail to keep this promise then I shall not be able to fulfill any promise. Secondly by saying to myself if I can't do such a good habit then I should not be passing instructions to my employees because I failed to abide by a simple and healthy promise. Never I broke this promise. Please promise yourself to drink water and keep your promise. Thank you for enriching the discussions with your openness.

🐝 Fatima G. Williams

منذ 6 سنوات #25

Dear Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee I must say this is a very timely buzz. In our heads, we all know the importance of water yet due to work we don't have the time to get up and fill up an empty bottle of water next to us. After moving to Dubai, I had to set reminders to drink water which I sometimes fail to do if my bottle is empty. What do we call this? Laziness or the thought oh let me send this email or let me make this call and I realize Oops I've not had water for over 4 hours. This buzz is a good reminder that I should not let work damage my health as I picked up digestion issues after moving to UAE and my eating habits the culprit and not drinking enough water is adding fuel to the fire. Thank you for feeding our mind and body with goodness. I love Mr. Manjits statement on perfection. Perfection can be very costly and unnecessary. I love being imperfect it allows me to grow in body and mind. I wonder what happens when one thinks one is perfect.

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #24

#25
he believed dear Lisa Vanderburg that a cup of water will not be enough to guarantee his survival. Mind you he is a money-addict. If with the diamond he would manage tio survive it would be precious for him. Some people can't live in the now.

Lisa Vanderburg

منذ 6 سنوات #23

#24
like we ever would, my dear man Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee! That said, back to your buzz: 'I asked my friend if he were lost in a desert was very thirsty would he choose a cup of water or a diamond. Surprisingly, he responded he would go for the diamond.' I propose your friend must either know the desert very well or is imaginary or is off his head IMHO. What good does a diamond do a dead man? :)

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #22

#23
oh dear Lisa Vanderburg. First I am so pleased to read your comments again. I am 100% in agreement with your comment. My next buzz will readdress some of the issues here. So, for now I have no disagreement with you.

Lisa Vanderburg

منذ 6 سنوات #21

#20
#21 #22 Hello dear Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee! I am late!! Yes, yes & yes; I agree, even to the last addressed to CityVP \ud83d\udc1d Manjit :) Surviving my upbringing with mere rewiring shorts, I lament bad parenting. I've often wondered if even mandatory parenting class 101 would be helpful; I think not as potential parents would begin to resent their unborn child. Seems to me the best parents are those that naturally see eye-to-eye about raising kids. Oddly, it's sort of random (like the quality of a diamond or water) that to raise a fully functional adult requires spontaneous and continuous joy & passion. I agree with your comment to Manjit as much as he does; perfection is a dreadful waste of time, resources and...joy!

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #20

#18
Perfection can be very costly and unnecessary. I wrote that complex systems look for solutions that work and not for perfect solutions. For what is perfect today may not be perfect tomorrow.

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #19

#17
Don't you think dear Lisa Vanderburg that we need to grow good habits in kids. They shall only do so if we repeat good acts till they become habits.

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #18

"The task of parenting ideally is to teach basic ideals of right and wrong, but in love and safety: boundaries. I mean, what's the fun in having perfect kids? :)" To this I fully concur dear Lisa Vanderburg. But, sometimes the parents don't know the boundaries. I have witnessed it frequently.

Lisa Vanderburg

منذ 6 سنوات #17

#18
Oh I couldn't agree more CityVP \ud83d\udc1d Manjit..I'd like to say I'll take Luther over CNN any day - warts, flagellation and all if it weren't so horribly easy to get caught up in the now...do it all the time! But Luther is a great example of how striving to live a consciously GOOD life is nigh-on impossible; his torment is palpable evidence of our internal warfare. He knew it, but at least he stopped the Catholics from selling indulgences :) Your point about perfection v protagonist is understood very well by me; been there, etc., but no book! So I sure am not the gleaming flagship of morality - far, far, FAR from it. All newborns/children are innocents, yet they don't come with a 'clean slate' methinks. The task of parenting ideally is to teach basic ideals of right and wrong, but in love and safety: boundaries. I mean, what's the fun in having perfect kids? :) So good to see...er....read you again Manjit! You've been missed!! That said, I've been out a couple weeks too.......

CityVP Manjit

منذ 6 سنوات #16

#17
Hi Lisa, I have some catching up to do with some of your earlier posts, but lets initiate today with comment #17 :-) I think that there is always someone in our lives that demanded perfection and hopefully that person is not our protagonist. There is a worthy idealism in perfectionist demand but not as a drunken value judgement. We can provide ourselves a license to chase perfection much like a dog chases it's own tail, but I kind of dig Martin Luther's personal torment. Luther chased his own tail trying to find how to be good in God's eye but I think that chase was multiplied in significance due to his bouts of deep depression. One cannot tell a person like Martin Luther quit beating yourself up (and he did that also) and thankfully no one managed to because now his contribution reverberates exactly 500 years later (thanks Martin for the idea of the 95 Theses even if he did not tone it down on rant against the Jews). I don't mind too much being fed on morality, today it is CNN that I can't quite stomach and that is entirely my fault - there is perverse attraction that the marketers at CNN have successfully created that can sometimes maintain my attention. I think it is joyful to know one's own imperfections rather than have finger-pointers like CNN teaching us channel surfers to fingerpoint.

Lisa Vanderburg

منذ 6 سنوات #15

Alas, not giving the comments the full respect they're due; fascinating buzz Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee. CityVP \ud83d\udc1d Manjit said 'Perfection is not a paradox, perfection is perfect.' Couple that with '[of bad habits]..you weren't born doing any of them. You learned how to do them.' That comes from Susan McQuillan M.S., RDN in Psychology Today. I agree with Manjit; I don't agree with Ms. McQuillan. We may not be born with a cigarette or shot-glass in hand, but we are most certainly born flawed. Watching a 1 year old teaches us that parents teach the child right & wrong by creating boundaries. The child will test those by constantly poking at them while checking the response of the parent. If that's a given (up to others to decide), then we are born ready to raise hell :) As the child develops, we teach them morality. 'No, it is very bad to hit your brother over the head with a saucepan, even though he pulled your hair.' Both children will be taught the wrongness of their acts, but in proportion. And both will continue to push the line until they finally tow it. The great thing about parenting is knowing you have the patience of Job in comparison to your wee child! And I hate to be a Debbie-downer here, but I have to wonder if some of us just don't really want to live a near-perfect life? :)

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #14

#15
good point James Olcott "water is always available in the presence of diamonds. But not the other way around". Hoe about the usability of water? To be present, but undrinkable is another issue.

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #13

#13
will read the links in your two superb comments before I dare to comment dear CityVP \ud83d\udc1d Manjit. I dare say now that youvare very correct. Complex systems don't shoot for perfection, but for working solutions. Your comment is so deep a@zI shall be back tomorrow with more thoughts. I need to ponder on every line of your comment. This line alerted my eyes "that pure water can actually kill us"!. This alone needs deep thinking. Does purity in general kill? So much to consider my friend.

CityVP Manjit

منذ 6 سنوات #12

#6
The key is understanding that the paradox of our thinking is that it is not perfect. Perfection is not a paradox, perfection is perfect. If perfection was the source for life then each generation would be a clone of the other through perfection DNA replication, so nature created sex and ensured we were not asexual creatures, but nature also had one more trick up its sleeve - imperfections in our DNA that led to significant variation - and evolution embraced this imperfection. Researchers in the quantum computing field are experimenting with impure diamonds http://dtiinside.com/2016/06/diamonds-may-beat-silicon-technology-race/ so what does this mean? It means that when we get off the high horse of perfection, we open our minds to new possibilities. Each of my four examples demonstrate the mentality of perfection and the reality of imperfection. Perfect economic theory has no model for imperfect human politics, the desire for the perfect diamond is not the only desire as in the technology example linked above, the idea of the sharing economy is not a panacea, the rejection of ownership creates its own imperfections as imperfect we may think conspicuous consumption to be and our attitudes about water have been driven by not pricing water thus becoming ignorant about it as a resource, but also do not take into account that economic theory is processed through an imperfect system of politics, emotional intellect and human irrationality. The paradox of our thinking is that we don't see the advantages of imperfection, so we place a value on the purity of diamonds and at the same time don't see that pure water can actually kill us ! http://isciencemag.co.uk/features/fact-of-the-day-1/

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #11

#11
your comment flows like water dearvDebasish Majumder. Everything in life has a dual effect. If we eat more than our capacity we suffer. Mat bee water objects to our misuse of it and revenge. I smell your comment is the theme of your next buzz.

Debasish Majumder

منذ 6 سنوات #10

sir Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee, beneath the water bodies all turmoil used to take place, which enable to rise to different plates as well varied flora and fauna in the exquisite land surface we are dwelling with. hard rock emerge from beneath the liquid and even myriad of sinister underneath it. the intriguing feature of it is, though, it is the essential element for existence of lives on Earth, at the same time it also have the capacity to take away the lives from the surface of Earth. what a unique duality it contain!

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #9

#8
if we realize the value of drinking water and the extreme retreat of our health then surely I go along all the way with your daughter Jerry. As you said it is a matter of life.

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #8

#7
thank you Proma \ud83d\udc1d Nautiyal for your comment adds a lot to the discussions. We are far less aware to the need to drink plain water than not smoking. Both are very dangerous to our health. Carbonated drinks don't count. You are spot on. It is a call to wake up.

Jerry Fletcher

منذ 6 سنوات #7

Ali, My daughter once told me that the next thing that will stimulate war on this planet is the shortage of potable water. In her view, it will make the ongoing oil-based battles pale by comparison. Oil or water? Power or life?

Proma Nautiyal

منذ 6 سنوات #6

Sir, you have brought an extremely important point to notice. Drinking less water and substituting it with aerated drinks, coffee, and tea is an epidemic. Drinking significant amounts of water can even increase and build immunity which will go ahead and strengthen our very core. People just don't get it. They take water and their health as granted which is a gross mistake.

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #5

#5
you are as always a very subtle thinker dear CityVP \ud83d\udc1d Manjit Each thoughts of your four thoughts merits a buzz to respond to. Our thinking is like a "highly impure diamond". We don't only contaminate diamond and water; more we do this because of our impure thinking. A lot to ponder on my friend

CityVP Manjit

منذ 6 سنوات #4

What the Water-Diamond paradox triggers off in me are four things : 1. Polarizing Political Limitation of Economic Theory http://conversableeconomist.blogspot.com/2017/07/economic-theory-limitations-and-biases.html 2. Synthetic vs. Natural Diamonds (not including the wider unknown and practical use of Industrial Diamonds) https://blog.brilliance.com/education/synthetic-diamonds-vs-natural-diamonds 3. Sharing Economy vs. Conspicuous Consumption https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/29/internet-conspicuous-consumption-sharing-services-richard-sennett 4. Water Crisis https://water.org/our-impact/water-crisis/ The real paradox here is our own thinking and how it flows from root to home and how. The irony is that in the diamond we see imperfection but in our thinking and values as a society, we remain a highly impure diamond. Diamonds of this kind of reality should not be viewed "forever".

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #3

#3
I enjoyed reading your comment Asesh Datta. Certainly, it is not an orthodox comment. I like the new dimensions in your comment. Camels store water inside the body for it values it. Do we humans do? Well, if we just look at the polluted rivers and seas we are not fully aware of the value of water. You reminded of water bubbles which smokers use. The pollute the water and inhale the poison from tobacco. Awareness is still not fully developed.

Ali Anani

منذ 6 سنوات #2

#1
Dwindling sources of clean and safe water is another issue. I agree with you dear Debasish Majumder. Thank you for your sharing the buzz and good words.

Debasish Majumder

منذ 6 سنوات #1

lovely buzz sir Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee! drinking more water can equally harm the body politic as it used to cause heavy pressure on kidneys, resulting ones life to be shorten too. besides impurities in water has increased in manifold. it has become nowadays too costly to get safe drinking water. however, great buzz sir. enjoyed read and shared. thank you for the buzz sir.

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منذ 3 سنوات · 2 دقائق وقت القراءة

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Proma Nautiyal

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