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Madison Avenue created a cultural Hobson choice ritual that equated the size and value of a particular precious stone with the dominant partner's love and economic suitability for marriage. The pressures on Western individuals to follow this script varies, but is still significant.

Another interesting approach is to reframe it as a Hobson choice with opportunity cost: Would you prefer a modest ring that's exciting for all of a week and is easy to lose, or a lifetime of memories of 3 weeks on a languid, secluded tropical island with surreal, warm white sand and ocean-to-plate candlelight dinners?