Below is an article about Dubai that appeared in Vanity Fair this week. Do you think this article portrays Dubai accurately or not? Is it a fair representation of this city?
The only way to make sense of Dubai is to never forget that it isn’t real. It’s a fable, a fairy tale, like The Arabian Nights. More correctly, it’s a cautionary tale. Dubai is the story of the three wishes, where, as every kid knows, with the third wish you demand three more wishes. And as every genie knows, more wishes lead to more greed, more misery, more bad credit, and much, much, much more bad taste.
30 comments:
I think journalists in England are always looking for an opportunity to make Dubai look bad. They still can't face the fact that people are still coming here despite the financial crisis and other negative publicity like the huge debt created by Nakheel.
Vanity Fair comes from England, people there are just used to hardship and can't bare to see their fellow citizens with tax free money, fancy cars, private education for their kids and help at home.
The part about the driver in the article was a bit vague. Maybe he has a bad memory or doesn't have a good sense of direction.
I love it here but I guess I am not permitted or qualified to say that as I don't have any commitments or responsibilities yet but the U.A.E is considered a developing country.
Expatriates don't get much of a chance to interact with "locals". How are we supposed to judge? From my point of view they are very proud of being in this country but as any culture, theirs has changed as well.
For me, living in the U.A.E has given me chances to do so many things that I think I wouldn't get anywhere else. I have been a volunteer at a film festival and been to a sanctuary for the Arabian Oryx and the list goes on.
Ok firstly, I would like to see an Arab show that overly intimidated reporter a piece of his mind. They cannot simply stand the fact that Dubai attracts more tourists every year as compared to them. Plus I doubt he is in a state to talk about ‘worst climate conditions’ because the fact is, England isn’t ‘oh so amazing’ with their weather themselves, what with its constant rain and gloomy skies. And yes! Dubai does have a lot things which are gigantic - INCLUDING its airports - I mean is that such a bad thing?! Is it such a bad thing that Dubai like’s its things bigger and BETTER??
The part about the palm trees and plants, well Dubai HAS the money to supply time-phased sprinklers to provide water for the plants. Furthermore with the money statement, the reporter mentioned that “Dubai has been built very fast. The plan was money. The architect was money....” and so on, one question is it a crime to have money??
About the Burj Khalifa, yes we may have had not enough money to finish building it and had to ask some help from our neighboring state but at least we have someone to call our ‘neighbors’ just because the reporter is intimidated that Dubai has the worlds largest building, and the English have their heads up too high and don’t even consider asking for help if they need so, the reporter decides to instead criticize and down hand Dubai.
The part about the driver, yes well guess what? Sorry to sound impolite but for a driver he probably has no sense of direction if he keeps getting lost. Yes I understand people may get lost the first few times they are here, maybe once or twice but always? I mean come on people, what kind of driver do you hire that gets lost ALL the time?? If Dubai is so called confusing then how is it that we don’t see a vast number of people getting lost? As far as I know, if your smart enough, you can read the road signs that explain clearly (with arrows) which roads to take and where to go.
And to add to the money part - like the reporter mentioned, 80% of the population are of fair skin, who come here for job employments and tax free salaries. You should be thanking Dubai for providing your people with jobs and employment so that they can benefit their families. If it weren’t for the employment they get here, they would be living in the streets of your country having to strive for food with hard working jobs and low paid salaries.
(sorry for the long-ness :P I just got a tad bit opinionated there. By the way, if I offended anyone from England in which ever way then I apologize, I don’t really have anything against the country, its just that, that reporter’s critics sort of got to me :P)
Ok firstly, I would like to see an Arab show that overly intimidated reporter a piece of his mind. They cannot simply stand the fact that Dubai attracts more tourists every year as compared to them. Plus I doubt he is in a state to talk about ‘worst climate conditions’ because the fact is, England isn’t ‘oh so amazing’ with their weather themselves, what with its constant rain and gloomy skies. And yes! Dubai does have a lot things which are gigantic - INCLUDING its airports - I mean is that such a bad thing?! Is it such a bad thing that Dubai like’s its things bigger and BETTER??
The part about the palm trees and plants, well Dubai HAS the money to supply time-phased sprinklers to provide water for the plants. Furthermore with the money statement, the reporter mentioned that “Dubai has been built very fast. The plan was money. The architect was money....” and so on, one question is it a crime to have money??
About the Burj Khalifa, yes we may have had not enough money to finish building it and had to ask some help from our neighboring state but at least we have someone to call our ‘neighbors’ just because the reporter is intimidated that Dubai has the worlds largest building, and the English have their heads up too high and don’t even consider asking for help if they need so, the reporter decides to instead criticize and down hand Dubai.
The part about the driver, yes well guess what? Sorry to sound impolite but for a driver he probably has no sense of direction if he keeps getting lost. Yes I understand people may get lost the first few times they are here, maybe once or twice but always? I mean come on people, what kind of driver do you hire that gets lost ALL the time?? If Dubai is so called confusing then how is it that we don’t see a vast number of people getting lost? As far as I know, if your smart enough, you can read the road signs that explain clearly (with arrows) which roads to take and where to go.
And to add to the money part - like the reporter mentioned, 80% of the population are of fair skin, who come here for job employments and tax free salaries. You should be thanking Dubai for providing your people with jobs and employment so that they can benefit their families. If it weren’t for the employment they get here, they would be living in the streets of your country having to strive for food with hard working jobs and low paid salaries.
(sorry for the long-ness :P I just got a tad bit opinionated there. By the way, if I offended anyone from England in which ever way then I apologize, I don’t really have anything against the country, its just that, that reporter’s critics sort of got to me :P)
I laughed. I actually laughed while reading this. Multiple times actually and it's just sickening how a journalist with such literary talent could while away their time writing an article like this.
Not only is it inaccurate but it's plagued with so called "accounts" from 'real' expats, I do wonder where a tourist finds all these stories in a holiday. But most of all it's just filled with bias. It's easy to see the bias the moment he stepped off the plane, he insulted the weather. It was the first thing he comments on and it was the first of many times I laughed.
Now that's true Dubai is pretty hot. It is a desert after all, but a sandstorm and humidity? Strange. And to think he could actually say "the roads don't go anywhere", I was shocked. The thought that someone could have the audacity to come to a new country and think that they know the roads enough to make a comment like that? Yes, I laughed again.
To his comments on wealth differences and his thoughts on why people come here to earn money: We live in a capitalist society. Businesses operate to make profit and the 'night scene' is profitable even if it excludes some people. If you don't feel that it's fair I know one country who is completely communist at the moment. North Korea would gladly accept his companionship.
Wow, I was mindblown. Are articles like these even allowed to be published? Or maybe he just bribed the editor.
No one should be deprived of their freedom of speech but this goes WAY beyond the boundary.
From his writing, it seems like he sees and judges everything from a negative perspective. His intensity of dislike and aversion is a little too much for a first time visitor. Maybe lampooning without evidence is a norm back home.
"It’s a holiday resort with the worst climate in the world. It boils. It’s humid. And the constant wind is full of sand."
Seriously? I don't know what else he expects the climate in a DESERT region would be. His geographic skills? Mind boggling.
Commenting on a particular race about the attires,manners,isn't very professional for a man at his position to be. His complains are so infantile,as Duwane mentioned, I was laughing and was perplexed throughout.
To briefly conclude, he is envious; of the development of a forgotten,goat-herding country over his homeland which was triumphing for centuries. Or probably covetous about the amount of money his fellow countrymen are making thanks to the tax free policy.
I'm not very surprised. Its not the first time i've read an article where dubai is criticized heavily by the outside world. I used to get annoyed regarding the western world's deplorable criticism of dubai, But honestly, In the end of the day, Dubai stands higher than their own major cities.
"Dubai is a cautionary tale about what money can’t buy: a culture of its own."
I dont understand how that statement supposed to be against Dubai. The write clearly admitted that you can't buy culture with money and yes Dubai has proven so. It's a lively and inviting city brimming with culture here, there and everywhere. Its not all about money.
He says the plan for Dubai was money. So what? UAE should be proud that their used their billions of cold hard cash for their development and for their people. Look at what the rest of the countries do with their income, It goes straight to the armed forces. To me, The author seems to have conveyed the clever decision the rulers of this city have made with their oil income.... accidentally of course.
The anecdote about the driver is another desperate step. You can't judge the entire population of emarati drivers based on one. Oh so, Drivers in england NEVER EVER EVER get their way wrong, do they? besides, he has no evidence.
Again the writer fails to criticrise. "The roads are constantly changing." Thats called development Its a very brilliant thing... Dubai has the most efficient road systems and in the past years it has reduced traffic so dramatically.
It seems to me that the writer has tried to criticize Dubai, in most parts and has failed miserably. His feeble excuses aren't even logical. Most of his points have failed to go against Dubai but instead have become of favor.
I don't know which 'DUBAI' he visited, but I've lived here all my life and i don't think much of what he said was veritable. It isn't fair for Dubai to have someone clearly not from here to make such a harsh and uncalled for judgement on a city that's only offence was to dig themselves slightly too large a hole in hte global financial crisis business. The guy obviously, missed his flight on the way here, then got a flat tire in the taxi he took to his hotel, at which he found his reservations hadn't come through properly, resulting in his late-night quest to find an available suite at the other end of town.
Too bad he isn't a resident here though, because after so eloquently abusing this country, Moza could DEPORT him! :P
the* :P
sorry
Im really not surprised. I've come across various articles that HEAVILY criticise Dubai but really this isn't going anywhere.
Despite all the negative publicity and the financial crisis, Dubai has managed to successfully recover from all debts and expats that have left the country are returning back. What does this have to say about Dubai?
'The only way to make sense of Dubai is to never forget that it isn’t real' . Are you kidding me? What was on his mind when he wrote that? It's completely biased and its based on his beliefs as person who hasn't yet visited Dubai.
When he says worst climate, he gives us time to ponder over the very 'pleasant' weather of England where the sky is dull almost everyday and people are deprived of the freedom to enjoy an actual summer's day.
He actually managed to crack me up while I read this. Its nonesense, really.
'long before the Emiratis have shouted at the maid'. Come on. You cannot judge the population by just a few peculiar people.
And when he speaks crap about the royal family? What the.. ? If it weren't for the AlMaktoums and AlNahyans, the UAE wouldn't be what it is today. The peace we are living in and all the privileges we are offered are results of the perfect coordination, organisation and the smooth run of the country. We all owe them.
And when he refers to the the generation of kids, he just can't generalise. This generation exists in every part of the world. Be it the UAE, India, France, Brazil or whatever country. Its the corrupt generation but he cannot relate it and blame it on the UAE itself.
Duba is all about money, like he says. SO WHAT? Isnt money what we are all working for? what we study hard so we get accepted in a good university and then persue a successful career for? Isnt this the source by which many countries have flourished? Isnt it what contributed towards the rise and enhancement of technology?
From what Ive read, this writer shows nothing but pure envy and resentment. This report didn't seem like a criticism but more like outpour of hatred that he had in store and let it all burst out in the wrong time.
Ok as much as I'd like to disagree (which isn't really at all) what evidence do you have against really that can sum up for a proper argument.
Dubai is just trying so hard to become a perect fairytale. Tryng to put everything you could ever dream of in one place. The world's largest building, The world's tallest hotel, the world's first seven star resorts, one of the world's largest malls and then the biggest project so far , Dubailand which is meant to be 3 times the size of Disneyland. That sounds more like a nightmare to me, I'd get lost at the entrance gate trying to find the ticket booth.
Then on top of that is the things behind the seen that Dubai doesn't tell you about on how they make these dreams come true. Try to think of all the workers of constructions take advantage of and building these endless projects after projects that's just one example to others. Is taking advantage of all these people worth the status and money when really your looked down upon for doing it (at least in my eyes).
Yes I would admit that Vanity Fair has some over exaggerations and has probably made this article out of spite or jealousy but you must also admit they do have some pretty valid points.
To Be Continued...
Someone ran out of Phoebus Online article ideas and so he wrote that :P
I've been in Dubai since 2002.There was no Dubai mall, No Burj Khalifa, Nothing. The remarkable growth that Dubai has made economically is just 'out of this world'. From what was once a desert with camels is now one of the most richest cities in the world. This is just clear jealousy. Since most ex-pats come from the UK he is trying to demoralize them. The UK is now a 'has been'. Its economy is down, and so people leave for better jobs outside.
More than anything, I would say I was shocked to read this. I've lived in here all my life, and to me, this is home. I will admit, I was confused after reading this article. Comments about the Asian expats who come here to work were, I HATE to admit it, were true. But most of his infantile comments were pessimistic views on a city that 30 years ago, no one gave a second though to.
I agree with Duwane, this article it is pathetically biased. What was especially pointless was his remark about the weather. It seemed so childlike that I had to read over it again to make sure that that was what he had written. The weather? That was a cheap and futile shot. What else can you expect out of a place that used to be a desert? More importantly how can you judge a place by its weather?
As for his critique on shopping malls, I don’t know if Mr.Gill ever visited The Mall of the Emirates on a Friday evening. As for the culture, the best part about Dubai is the fact it is a mixture of so many, and that is something to be celebrated, not mocked.
Though it may have been an eloquent article, I’m afraid I fail to see the point of it. Coming to the question, no I do not think that this is a fair representation of the city. I do not believe this is an accurate article. Perhaps I’m biased too, because I’ve lived here all my life. But it is undeniable that Dubai has transformed from a desert to a land of opportunity. I agree with Nikita: living in Dubai gives you chances to do such a wide variety of things that you can do nowhere else in this world. This man seems to me like a very bored bully, who has nothing better to do than to waste his time.
Funny how this comes up right after the troll post seeing how this guy is just another one of those trolls ridiculing things for pointless reasons. Most of what he's said is pretty pathetic and I doubt he has sufficient evidence to back up all his ridiculous observations.
I actually read this last night and was waiting for Moza's reply, and she's pretty much written everything that was on my mind.
I would like to add, I am actually thankful that my parents decided to move here. I've lived here almost all my life and I feel Dubai gives people so many opportunities. I doubt I would be able to do half the things I've done here, anywhere else and I actually got offended by reading these false accusations and nonsensical remarks. Dubai has developed so drastically over the past years and this isn't the first time I've come across such reports; this article screams envy.
To be honest, I agree with some parts of the article.
Well, not 100% per se, since there were a lot of ridiculous exaggerations, generalizations and biased, judgmental comments.
But the whole thing about the classification of the people living in this country, the amount of appreciation and rights the workers have, and the way Dubai is moving way too fast have a shred of truth in it. The true essence and strength of Dubai lies in its workforce, who happen to be expatriates. True, they have been given jobs etc, but they aren't treated very well.
I also have to agree with the fact that, to some extent, Dubai is superficial and drunk on overachievement and ambition.
All that aside, err, Dubai is a desert, therefore, isn't it established that the climate isn't the best ever? So why set foot here then if you're going to moan about it?
I don't want to disagree with you Arizza but the fact is that in a market economy which is what most countries follow world wide, resources such as labour are allocated to be used efficiently and for maximum profit.
In Dubai, unlike other countries, resources are organized in the most profitable and efficient ways possible, leading to outstanding growth and development. It's capitalism, deal with it.
I laughed a bit myself, though it is generally accurate I feel like she exaggerated just a bit. And oh no she DIDN'T just dis Las Vegas ?! :O
On a more serious note......
She obviously hasn't spent enough time in Dubai prior to writing this article, as I remember feeling the exact same way for about the first three months I lived here. Honestly to survive here it's truly vital to meet the right people.
I've in fact met a decent amount of genuinely kind and hardworking Emiratis. Has it ever occured to her that we might intimidate them just as much as they might intimidate us. Just think what it would be like to be the minority in your own country? However I do feel that she was accurate regarding the description of how the manual labor works over here. Regardless I think it's important that we don't go around assuming and actually get to know people.
I feel the way she worded some of her descriptions as well had been a little bit offensive, for example the "head towel in hand" remark regarding the issue with Burj Dubai having to be financed by Abu Dhabi. She's only making herself look stupid at that point in my opinion, to be speaking in a tone that makes you appear to be the "high" and "mighty", then make such offensive remarks (in my opinion) is just unprofessional, not to mention plain rude.
Ultimately, I think she should've personally went around gathering her information because she seems to have either pulled it from secondary media sources as well as over exaggerated rather than experiencing the country herself. I've found after living here for a few months as well as by surrounding myself with the right people that soul will not appear in a country in which you refuse to truly live in.
Gosh, I completely agree with everyone commented previously, but mostly with Arizza, there IS a 'wee bit' of legitimacy under his strong hyperboles.
There is much bias in classifying different people as per their cultures and origins, but it is quite true that in every single profession, there is a difference in income, irrespective of qualifications. Yes, the weather here is dusty, humid and hot, great observation Sherlock, you're in a desert.
Why is it that the Horse races should ONLY be confined to the Americans and British? Are we not all fighting for the 'one world' theme?
When you try to turn sand into glass and modest greenery, I believe it DOES use up a lot of money to achieve such a feat. Having to ask for money to complete a massive project doesn't show weakness, the fact is that the brotherhood between the seven Emirates lives on. If Detroit were to request aid from Florida, it would have been deemed gracious and chivalrous. Furthermore, they're not having a civil war over who should be president and vice-president and it is a lofty assumption that culture and traditions relate to clothing.
I think that the writer has superbly shown us all what great literary skills are about. With supreme embroidery of his original article, he stirred a furious beast of outrage within all of us. Either he is a really bitter old man, who preys on happiness and accomplishment or, [the more realistic] he is just a really good writer who got his days of fame with his elaborate and descriptive writing.
I believe his glorious article is at #2 most read, right after the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscars Party. Wouldn't he be happy to know he achieved what he wanted, notoriety, fame, outrage and probably a promotion.
Duwane, the thing is, while the main objective is profit, I don't see the point in using loads of money to build infrastructures nobody can afford, and that are, until now, still empty as they build some more with even more money.
Shoot for the stars but keep your feet on the ground. Letting visions of grandeur blind is foolish.
And at least show the people who have helped you or paved your way to the top some appreciation. A lot of the labour force here are treated like vermin and aren't exactly taken care of. There are company officials who go around driving expensive SUVs while their employees have to budget their meager salaries extremely just to try and keep up with the high cost of living over here. There are capitalist societies that manage to keep their workers at least humanely treated, why can't be the same over here.
* can't it be
lol sorry
and jeez Duwane, must you disagree with me in everything :p
Alright, paragraph by paragraph analysis.
First Paragraph - It’s a holiday resort with the worst climate in the world. It boils. It’s humid. And the constant wind is full of sand.
Author has clearly spent zir time off-roading. We have nice winters, okay? Jeez. The heck do you expect from a desert?
The first thing you see when you arrive is the airport, with its echoing marble halls. It’s big enough to be the hub of a continent. Dubai suffers from gigantism—a national inferiority complex that has to make everything bigger and biggest. This includes their financial crisis.
I won't argue against this but the author's condescending tone is really grating already.
Second Paragraph: The skyline, in the dusty haze, looks like the cover of a dystopian science-fiction novella. Clusters of skyscrapers lurch out at the gray desert accompanied by their moribund cranes, propped up with scaffolding, swagged in plastic sheeting.
I'd like to know what kind of dystopian novel ze reads. Also, dude, it's called construction. Get over it. Haven't you heard cranes are the national bird of Dubai?
They huddle around the current tallest building in the world—a monument to small-nation penis envy.
*snorts* Okay, that is very witty. I'll give them that.
It was going to be called Burj Dubai, but as Dubai was unable to make their payments, they were forced to go to their Gulf neighbor, head towel in hand, to get a loan. So now it’s called Burj Khalifa, after Abu Dhabi’s ruler, who coughed up $10 billion to its over-extended neighbor.
...Gulf neighbour? Head towel?
OKAY WOW NOW I AM VERY ANNOYED. IT'S THE COUNTRY'S CAPITAL CITY. CAPITAL. CITY. WHO ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO GET A LOAN FROM? Also, head towel? Nice way to be racist. This is really really ignorant and awful.
Dubai has been built very fast. The plan was money. The architect was money. The designer was money and the builder was money. And if you ever wondered what money would look like if it were left to its own devices, it’s Dubai.
Uh, no, it'd be a faded piece of paper.
My driver gets lost more than once. He’s lived here all his life. He says he always gets lost. The roads keep changing. It’s a confusion of orange traffic cones and interlocking barriers; access roads peter out into long drops to rubble and dust. Nothing actually goes anywhere. The wide lanes loop around endlessly, and then there’s no place to go. No plaza or square, no center. Nowhere to hang out, nowhere to walk.
You just got unlucky with a taxi driver. Boo hoo. And clearly, the author doesn't have many friends.
Why would you walk? In this heat?
Clearly never been to JBR where it's always LA-esque weather-wise.
There is an indoor ski mountain, probably the biggest indoor ski mountain in a desert, where the Arab boys queue for suits and boots and skis. The smarter locals arrive in their own designer après-ski gear, with fur and moon boots. You walk through the doors and it’s like The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe—the land of permanent winter. The fat boys push past carrying their snowboards toward the Tyrolean chocolate shop and Swiss fir trees and slide down the hill with a practiced arrogance. The girls slither, splay-legged, hijabs fluttering, in the manufactured snow.
...actually, it's real snow that is maintained at below-freezing temperatures. Do your research. Also, fat boys? Adding sizeism to your ever-growing repertoire of discrimination~ The author is obviously against people having fun.
Sir, I'm sorry, I can't read anymore. There is just too much indiscriminate male cow feces in this article that I can't articulate my own rage enough to even make it passably arrogant. If you want to meet a person critical of Dubai's society, there's no one more as lethal when it comes to ripping it apart than be but even I have to say, DEAR GOD, AUTHOR, YOUR LIFE IS INCREDIBLY BITTER, ISN'T IT?
Ugh.
YES, the laborers here are degraded and are severely lacking in the human rights department but to imply that the people of Dubai are ignorant of it is sheer hyperbole. Do your research before you slam something - the fiercest critics of Dubai are its people, the people you are so patronizing again.
Also, just so you know, Emirati palms yielded the most amounts of dates in the world a couple years ago. "Regiment" indeed.
Okay I'm done.
I think.
...actually, no, I'm not done.
I'll end by saying that, YES, I will not argue against many of the arguments made by the author but I will spit at the way ze made all zir arguments with such an impeccably childish, bitter, hyperbolic and actually somewhat racist tone.
Righteous anger pouring out of every orifice right now.
Just to be clear, I don't support or agree with the patronizing and envy-filled article the author wrote. I find it pathetic as well.
Although that's the case, the article made me think on the quality of Dubai.
^Neiha
Excellent deconstruction of the article.
However, you'd still have to take the next plane out if your dad lost his job. No brownie points for sticking up for your (their?/our?) city :)
Sigh, that is but the unfortunate truth.
Again, I only stick up for Dubai because I strongly believe no one that hasn't lived in Dubai can claim to understand it. If you had to put me in a Dubai-Reformation convention, I'd be the first speaker.
There is an unofficial, yet perfectly believable, fact about Dubai which is commonly known amongst automotive enthusiasts in the city - Dubai has the highest concentration of high-performance supercars per square kilometre in comparison to any other city in the world. Coming to the part about commenting on the article, I would say that the article has a 3:2 ratio of truth:rubbish.
The article is undoubtedly written from the Western point of view and just before the writer began to write the article, he/she clearly intended to use the article as a means of downgrading Dubai. The remarks on the climate were, as several others before me have already said, futile attempts at setting down Dubai and apparently the writer's perspective of Dubai has been quite heavily influenced by the time he/she spent with the driver, who was probably too ashamed to admit that he was new on the job and didn't know how to operate the satellite-navigation system. Also, there is far too much generalistion in the article. Sure enough, at any point in time when Ski Dubai is open, you can probably find a handful of portly Arab boys sliding down the snow-covered hills but that doesn't mean that it's the same case with every other member of the same generation. Just because there are local gangs in existence and the native youth have tons of cash at their disposal doesn't mean that every single young Emirati boy goes out at night with intentions of stabbing someone and that they all spend all their time driving around aimlessly in their (beloved) Mercedes-Benz G55 AMGs. As for the topic of gigantism, how is the USA any different? Didn't they pioneer gigantism?
That said, as I mentioned earlier, there are notable regions of truth in this article. Most notably, the part about the invisible Asian labourers who oil the gears which keep the engines of Dubai running. They might not be treated like animals all the time but they're not treated like fellow human beings all the time either and for the high-risk, demanding lives that they lead they really ought to be treated better. Another point of the writer which rings true is the fact that Emiratis are 'out of place in their own country'. But that is an unavoidable by-product, or perhaps the cost, of such sudden, enormous growth in a city like Dubai. You don't need to be a genius to understand that the chances of a man getting lost in his own house drastically increase when the man in question moves out of the apartment, in which he accidentally discovered a treasure, and into the mansion which he bought using that treasure.
Neiha basically said it all; Mr. Gill’s knowledge of Dubai is nothing more than a “Narnia” he has built for himself based on a handful of canonic facts. But facts, nevertheless.
Because it is true that Dubai has progressed perhaps too fast for its own good and it’s not just him but there is actual evidence that such a rapid boom has resulted in such an extensive recession. It is also wondered by many why Dubai continues to spend and invest lavishly when they are supposed to be neck deep in debt. And it is also quite factual that the expats are poorly treated and underpaid with, at the very least, dreadful working conditions.
All the same, apart from getting his basics right, the writer seems to have woven an unbelievable and laughable image of Dubai that has nothing more than an ugly prejudice and repetitive events. He seems to think we happen to be nothing more than a horse race and a tall building with hot weather. I mean, it’s a desert; what do you expect?
I wonder what he’s got against the Meydan horse races though…
OK! I have never seen Dubai the way the author described it. Dubai has grown a lot these past few years. There are vast changes in this city. Dubai is based on sand, and building the tallest tower or one of the biggest malls on sand is a very big deal. Though, yes i agree Dubai does have a few not so great stuff like the weather or so. But, Dubai does have a few great things as well. So, this report is totally not a fair one as it is crucially biased as every one agrees with. Dubai has a lot more important things to be looked at. Perhaps if the author re-considers his report, I bet he has ought to find many false in it.
Haha firstly, I am very surprised this was even allowed to be published :p I'm glad it did though, it was an interesting read even though he might have been a bit harsh and had exaggerated at times.
I have to say I agree with what Shaday said.
It's been written a lot that 'this Isn't Dubai he's talking about' 'Jealousy' 'Its my home', how does that prove or show that what he's saying is a bunch of blabbering written out of jealousy or boredom?
I'll admit the weather thing was a bit of an inappropriate and usual matter to tackle as the climate anyone has is not under the city's or country's power to control. We all hate the heat but what can we do? :p It is a desert.
I like how he talked about Dubai suffering from gigantism—a national inferiority complex that has to make everything bigger and biggest. Basically..Bigger, biggest and BEST. :/
We gotta admit that Dubai is pretty competitive and lacks originality.
I do think he exaggerated but his points were not all completely untrue.
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