GorillaOffTopic, Everything But Gorilla Trades

When a loved one dies, it is beyond painful. Understandably, people sometimes go to great lengths to preserve the memory of those they loved, and surely everyone who has suffered such a loss sympathizes with this ideology. But can people sometimes go a little too far with it?  Well, that’s up to you to decide, but when the Gorilla heard about this weird phenomenon, he got a bit creeped out. Why? Well because one company is capitalizing on death and bereavement by offering to turn your loved one’s remains into jewelry- specifically a precious diamond. Sure, why not wear your lovely Aunt Theresa right around your neck after she passes? If that’s not a tribute to those you love, what is?  The company, called LifeGem, uses the motto: “Like the memory of a loved one, a diamond lasts forever” and specializes in a patented process of creating diamonds (almost exactly like the real things) made of the carbon remains of your cremated loved one or from the carbon in the hair from your deceased loved one. Creepy? Again, that is for you to decide, but then again, to each his own.  The process is a painstaking one that involves a heating procedure, which heats the carbon in sealed containers called “crucibles” to over 3000 degrees. The idea is to replicate the earth’s natural process of converting carbon to graphite to create a pure diamond. Interesting? Well, yes, extremely, and no, this is not exactly a new concept either.  General Electric first had the patent on this process back in the 1950’s. But present day technology has brought this unique idea to the forefront and has made it a reality for those who wish to keep the memory of their loved one alive forever. It’s really not all that strange if you consider that many cultures in the history of civilization have performed similar bizarre acts when those they loved died.  The Ancient Egyptians, for example, buried their deceased with all of their expensive worldly possessions in a mummification process that was meant to ensure entry into the next life. The ancient Chinese (and modern day as well) believe that you should have a public mourning for a period of 49 days and during different days carry out specific rituals at the grave site, such as burning money and incense. They are also very careful about where they bury their dead and which way the deceased will face in some cases.  Some Native American Indians believe that if you die in your home, your spirit remains there, so many choose to die in hospitals instead. Some also believe that if you lost a limb in life that it must be preserved and replaced after the person has passed in order to be buried whole. Yes, folks it is the Western Civilizations that are considered to be the “abnormal” ones when it comes to their views and perceptions about death.  

So, is it really all that odd to want your Mother’s remains preserved in a beautiful diamond to wear close to your heart? Perhaps not, but the Gorilla isn’t expecting any of his loved ones to go to such extremes. Just bury him in a cool place, with a banana in his hand, and he will be just fine!