Jeremiah

After a few dates, the man would give the woman an expensive ring.

If he marries her, it's fine.

A wife is worth far more than any jewel.

But if he gets cold feet, then she keeps the ring.

Essentially a wealth transfer from the man to the woman to compensate her for her time, emotional distress, and wasted childbearing potential.

But modernity ruined the commitment device by dragging engagement itself to the end of a years-long dating process.

There's a several-year period where men can and do flake scot-free.

So, Max continued, one of the speakers at the AILA symposium proposed enstagement.

When a man and woman first start dating, he buys her a $200 ring.

Then every year she gives it back and he buys her a ring that's five times as expensive as the last one.

So after a year, $1,000.

After two, $5,000.

After three, $25,000.

At any point, he can stop the clock by getting married.

Or if he's chronically indecisive, he can keep throwing out more money until he can no longer afford the ring, at which point he has to either propose or break up.

And if he breaks up after four years, at least she's gotten $100,000 out of the deal.

Engagement sub two is the one where I give her a $5,000 ring.

It means we're really going steady.

So you're going to propose soon?

Oh goodness, no.