Misery in Dubai – GCC
Dubai specific & GCC in general is not the easiest place to live, yet many like me have spent the best years of our adult life here – away from our families back home.
This is more out of compulsion than choice. If I had to leave, I would have to do so now, without thinking – because if I bring logic and reason in to the equation, I will never leave.
I’m not looking for your sympathy, but here’s your answer anyway – I know you have been dying to know why I’m still here. I know people back home would gladly swap places with me.
– The words of a common white collar worker in Dubai –
The place suck blood, youth, vigor & peace from age bracket 25 to 45, and at the end of bone rashes you are still an EXPATRIATE., compelled to go back home because employer does not wish to extend your visa and someone full of youth is ready to take your place.
If an edcuated white collar law abiding human live & work in any Developed country of the world for 5 plus years, he is awarded with citizenship and rights equal to born citizen,
whereas UAE & GCC as whole lack this humanitarian value.
– above is quoted from data compiled after doing a chit chat for over 2 years from office workers from multinational Free zone companies to local LLCs .
Yes, un-humanitarian according to our Western values that are based on an open society.
But when you think for a moment about the nature of islam then you will understand why they want to be able to tell you when you must leave.
Monotheism (Islam) differs from a secular society because of two pillars. Plato named them: Mythos (God, akinship and tradition) and Logos (science, logic).
Islamic societies sees its fundamental values around Mythos whereas our Western society is based on Logos, where religion is not central.
Basically, Islamic societies prefer to be barbaric. There are advantages to these societies as people tend to know eachother very good. An open society poses a threat to their values and identity in the long run. Hence they say, we secular societies don’t have a true identity, which can be debated.
Either way, keeping your borders in check, but making use of foreign work and technologies is the new form of Sharia compliant sustainability, as closed societies in the past (history) are eventually either disintegrated, bought out or defeated by war. An open society based on democracy is too big to ignore. Its the power of the people, or masses in this case.
Also, closed societies are rather lacking in progression since the learning curve is rather limited.
Modern day Islam is adjusting in its own way by not granting citizenship, but is openening up to our values for their own survival in a capitalistic system.
Hope this helps you understand.
Dear R. de Graaf, I would like to mention a point and correct you in a way by saying that don’t judge / call these GCC societies islamic societies, though the rulers are muslim.. the majority of people living there are not.. specially in duabi etc. and in no way these citizenship rules are governed by anything called Sharia.. these are merely the laws imposed to protect their own identity or hold on society… and the driving force there too is capitalistic economy.
bullet-proof vest exist because they protect your vital organs, and although it would suck hardcore to get shot in the crotch, you have a much better chance of surviving than if you were shot in the heart. although it is a friggin good idea.
Thats exactly what I said and meant Mr. Tariq.
I don’t know why you think I was judging. I leave the value judgement to the reader. I merely pointed out the fundamentals of the UAE society (although Dubai is the most open one on the Arab peninsula) that tries to protect its identity, or whats left of it with a mere 20 percent Dubaian nationals.
Hope this clarifies.
Have a good one.
I added your blog to bookmarks. And i’ll read your articles more often!
“you are still an EXPATRIATE”
I think many ex-pats in other countries feel a bit like that even if they do get citizenship or permanent residence. If you don’t grow up somewhere and probably your parents have to have grown up there too you are never going to be totally accepted by all the “real” residents.
In truth, immediately i didn’t understand the essence. But after re-reading all at once became clear.