Expat influencers sold Dubai to the world and were paid to look the other way. Now the dream is crumbling. The Maseratis are borrowed, the helicopters rented by the hour. But deep down Dubai is a lonely place, built by oppressed people.
Posted by mlg1981
7 Comments
I love this for them
One could argue that nearly all aspects of most influencers in all parts of the world are fake, curated, exaggerated, inflated.
As someone from Dubai, not sad to see them go. The influencers really tried so hard (and succeeded) to show Dubai and the UAE as some vacuous hellhole of wealth and luxury and acting as if we’re better than everyone. The truth, as always, lies somewhere in the middle where common folks like me are just trying to build lives, keep the income coming in and maybe lead a happy life.
What’s missing from this narrative is that most people went to Dubai for a better, dignified middle class life and were able to reach it. Not for Maseratis and helicopters. Even workers with very hard conditions were able to build better lives for their families at home. But that’s not juicy or snarky, so it doesn’t sell. There’s a great article on The Atlantic about it.
Always has been.
Nice photo of the Palm!
I’m so tired. One of my best friends is from Dubai. His family is Pakistani. He hates the politics of the place, but it is also a real place where he grew up and that he loves. He went to school with over a hundred different nationalities there. He was just there during a lot of the bombing and he told me he was glad that he was there for what will be an incredibly important moment for his home and his community going forward (and also to care for his parents).
I understand why the fixation is on the high-rolling expats and the slave labor. I’m not suggesting they should be ignored, but this hollow view is also a kind of mirage much like the one influencers sold. “Dubai is a lonely place” is doing too much. Dubai is also a place where my friend called his cousin to come home from Iftar in the park because of the bombs and the cousin dropped off everyone else he was with at home first.