The continuing connectivity/content tradeoff in the Middle East

ARTICLE: "Young and Arab in Land of Mosques and Bars," by Michael Slackman, New York Times, 22 September 2008.

ARTICLE: "Arab TV Tests Societies' Limits With Depictions of Wine, Sex and Equality," by Robert F. Worth, New York Times, 27 September 2008.

Great big article on the subversive presence in the Gulf that is the UAE and Dubai in particular. While it was reasonably more quiet during Ramadan when I was there, you could sense the difference very clearly. Unlike going to, say, Cairo, in Dubai you could feel the how young men and women behaved differently, like you were in another world.

Nice bit from one transplanted Egyptian:

"I was more religious in Egypt," Mr. Galal said, taking a drag from yet another of his ever-burning Marlboros. "It is moving too fast here. In Egypt there is more time, they have more control over you. It's hard here. I hope to stop drinking beer; I know it's wrong. In Egypt, people keep you in check. Here, no one keeps you in check."

That's what you get with 80% of your population being expats drawn from 200 nationalities—the New New Amsterdam of the Gap. Bring on the Glorious Revolution!

Others say it's the Vienna of the cold war—"playground for all sides."

Tell me this doesn't sound familiar:

Dubai dazzles, but it also confuses. It appears to offer a straight deal—work hard and make money. It is filled with inequities and exploitation. It is a land of rules: no smoking, no littering, no speeding, no drinking and driving. But it also dares everyone to defy limitations.

It is a place that offers the possibility for reinvention.

Subversive indeed.

The more such connectivity emerges, expect more Mickey Mouse fatwas—no pun intended.

Comments

[andyinsdca]

Gawd, I miss Dubai. I got to visit it in 94 before it really started to explode. But, it was obvious back then it was all about the money and no one cared where you were from. I had an Iranian cab driver who was all excited to have American Navy guys in his cab. The best pastry/sweet shop was run by Iranians. Euro ex-pats were everywhere, at the bars, etc. It was a very dynamic city back then...and I look forward to visiting again.

[Ted O'Connor]

"Vienna in the Cold War". Reminded me of a little incident that happened many years ago during the Vietnam war. My wife and I were in Paris sitting at the proverbial sidewalk cafe. Sitting near us were some Vietnamese. Within a minute or so I realized they were North Vietnamese. They certainly had no trouble figuring out that I was an American. How strange it was to encounter the "enemy" within sight of Notre Dame cathedral. At the time I thought that this was what it must have been like in Switzerland in World War II. We finished our glass of wine and got up to leave. We had only taken a few steps when I heard someone call out. It was one of the North Vietnamese. He had noticed that we had forgotten our camera and he came over to us and handed it to me. What a strange little interlude.

[Jarrod Myrick]

Persian actress attracting attention appearing scarfless promoting new Crowe-DiCaprio movie.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/11/AR2008101101662.html

[Michael]

Another interesting though: What happens when those Egyptians who recognize each other as such (regardless of religion) return home?