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NEWS

Season 6 Game of Thrones

Casting News Brings a
Long-Buried Plot Back from
the Dead

Tonights Episode of Game

of Thrones Doubled Down
on the Sexual Assault

Dubai on Empty

Prince Harry Has Finally

Met Princess Charlotte

CULTURE
APRIL 2011

Dubai on Empty

Its skyline erupting from the desert in just two decades, Dubai is a cautionary tale about what money cant buy: a culture of its own.
After gorging on the Viagra of easy credit, the emirate has the worlds tallest building, the worlds most expensive racetrack, and a
financial crisis to match. From the Western mercenaries and Asian drones who maintain the gaudy show to 100-odd families who
are impervious to any economic reality, A. A. Gill discovers that no one truly belongs in Dubai, where the legacy of oil has made
everything worthless.
B Y A .A . G IL L
PH OTOGR A PH S B Y TOM C RAIG

Locals stand in front of the royal enclosure at the track.

heonlywaytomakesenseofDubaiistoneverforgetthatitisntreal.Itsafable,afairytale,likeTheArabianNights.More
correctly,itsacautionarytale.Dubaiisthestoryofthethreewishes,where,aseverykidknows,withthethirdwishyou
demandthreemorewishes.Andaseverygenieknows,morewishesleadtomoregreed,moremisery,morebadcredit,and
much,much,muchmorebadtaste.DubaiisLasVegaswithouttheshowgirls,thegambling,orElvis.Dubaiisafinancial
Disneylandwithoutthefun.Itsaholidayresortwiththeworstclimateintheworld.Itboils.Itshumid.Andtheconstantwindisfull
ofsand.Thefirstthingyouseewhenyouarriveistheairport,withitsechoingmarblehalls.Itsbigenoughtobethehubofa
continent.Dubaisuffersfromgigantismanationalinferioritycomplexthathastomakeeverythingbiggerandbiggest.Thisincludes
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theirfinancialcrisis.

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Outside,inthesoddenheat,youpasshundredsandhundredsofregimentedpalmtreesandyouwonderwhowatersthemandwhat
with.Theskyline,inthedustyhaze,lookslikethecoverofadystopiansciencefictionnovella.Clustersofskyscraperslurchoutatthe
graydesertaccompaniedbytheirmoribundcranes,proppedupwithscaffolding,swaggedinplasticsheeting.Dubaithoughtitwas
goingtogrowuptobetheArabSingaporeacommercial,banking,andinsuranceserviceportontheGulfwithhospitalityand
footballerstimeshares,anoasisofR&Rforthelesswellendowed.Butithasntquiteworkedout.Theverticalstreetsofofficesare
empty.Aderelictskyscraperlooksexactlythesameasonethatsteemingwithcommerce.Theyhuddlearoundthecurrenttallest
buildingintheworldamonumenttosmallnationpenisenvy.ThispylonerectedwiththeViagraofcreditisnowabig,naked
exclamationofDubaisfiscalembarrassment.ItwasgoingtobecalledBurjDubai,butasDubaiwasunabletomaketheirpayments,
theywereforcedtogototheirGulfneighbor,headtowelinhand,togetaloan.SonowitscalledBurjKhalifa,afterAbuDhabisruler,
whocoughedup$10billiontoitsoverextendedneighbor.
Dubaihasbeenbuiltveryfast.Theplanwasmoney.Thearchitectwasmoney.Thedesignerwasmoneyandthebuilderwasmoney.
Andifyoueverwonderedwhatmoneywouldlooklikeifitwerelefttoitsowndevices,itsDubai.
Mydrivergetslostmorethanonce.Heslivedhereallhislife.Hesayshealwaysgetslost.Theroadskeepchanging.Itsaconfusionof
orangetrafficconesandinterlockingbarriersaccessroadspeteroutintolongdropstorubbleanddust.Nothingactuallygoes
anywhere.Thewidelaneslooparoundendlessly,andthentheresnoplacetogo.Noplazaorsquare,nocenter.Nowheretohangout,
nowheretowalk.Whywouldyouwalk?Inthisheat?Youpulloverandthrowyourkeystoavalet,andgetindoorsasquicklyas
possible,generallyinoneofthecountlessshoppingcentersthatlookliketheairportsoflessernationsorEgyptiantombs.Theyecho
withtheslowfootfallsofthesecurityguards.Intheboutiques,theglossyassistantsstareatmannequinswithamutualmimeof
cashmerefoldingdespair.Dubaihasbeenmuggedbyitsowngreed.Itsconsumereconomyisbeingmaintainedbyoilrichfamiliesto
whomdepressions,booms,lotterywins,andrecessionsmeanlittle.Richesandwealtharerelativeterms.Butnotoneswererelatedto.
Thereisanindoorskimountain,probablythebiggestindoorskimountaininadesert,wheretheArabboysqueueforsuitsandboots
andskis.Thesmarterlocalsarriveintheirowndesigneraprsskigear,withfurandmoonboots.Youwalkthroughthedoorsandits
likeTheLion,theWitch,andtheWardrobethelandofpermanentwinter.Thefatboyspushpastcarryingtheirsnowboardstoward
theTyroleanchocolateshopandSwissfirtreesandslidedownthehillwithapracticedarrogance.Thegirlsslither,splaylegged,
hijabsfluttering,inthemanufacturedsnow.

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Pre-race at the nearly $3 billion Meydan Racecourse, in Dubai.

oonedreamedofthis.Twentyyearsago,noneofthiswashere.NoNarnia.Nosevenstarhotels.Notallestprickbuildings.
Justahomeofpastoralisttentedfamiliesherdinggoats,racingcamels,shootingoneanother.Andahandfulofgreasy,
armedempiremechanicsinkhakishorts,drillingforoil.Injustonelifespan,Dubaihasgonefromsittingonarugto
swivelingonafakeEameschair100storiesup.Andnotasinglelocalhashadtoliftafingertomakeithappen.Thatsnot
quitefairofcoursetheyveliftedafingertocallthewaiter,beratethebusboy.Themoneyseepedoutofthegroundandtheyspentit.
Prettymuchallofit.Youlookatthisplaceandyourealizenotasinglethingisindigenous,notoneofthisculturesgoodsandchattels
originatedhere.Eventhegoatshavegone.Thiswasacivilizationthatwasboughtwholesale.TheGulfistheproofofCarnegies
warningaboutwealth:Thereisnoclasssopitiablywretchedasthatwhichpossessesmoneyandnothingelse.Emiratisareborn
retired.Theywaftthroughthiscityintheirwhitedishdashasandheadscarvesandtheirobsessivelytaperedhumorlessfaces.Theyre
outofplaceintheirowncountry.Theyhaveimportedandbuiltacity,afortressofextravagance,thatexcludesthemselves.Theyhave
becomeduplicitous,schizophrenic.Theydontallowtheirownnationaldressintheclubsandbarsthatservealcohol,therestaurants
withthehungrygirlssippingchampagne.SotheyslipintoWesternclothestogoout.
TheGulfArabshavebecometheminorityinthiscountrytheywishedoutofthedesert.Theyarenowlessthan20percentofthetotal
population.Amongtheother80pluspercentarethewhitemercenaryworkerswhocomeherefortaxfreesalariestodomanagerial
andentrepreneurialjobs,parasitesandsycophantsforcash.Forthemmoneyisadrivingprincipleandvalidation.Theycametobe
young,single,greedy,andinsincere.Noneofthemareveryclever.Sotheylivelivesthatrevolvearounddrinkandpornsexandpool
partiesandbarbecueswithalotofhystericallaughingandthemenights,karaoke,andslobbery,regretfulcoupling.Infact,asinall
casesofembarrassingarresteddevelopment,theseexpatsontheshorttermmakedontexpecttoputdownrootshere,havechildren
here,orgrowoldhere.Everyonesonavisadependentonajob.
Thenthereisathirdcategoryofpeople:thedrones.Theworkers.TheAsians:Indians,Pakistanis,SriLankans,andFilipinos.Earlyin
themorning,beforethewhitemercenarieshavenegotiatedtheirhangovers,longbeforetheEmiratishaveshoutedatthemaid,buses
fullofhardhattedAsianspullintobuildingsites.Theyhavethetough,downtroddenlookofCommunistpostersfromthe30sthey
areboththeslavesofcapitalandtheheroesoflabor.Asiansmanthehotelstheyrunthecivilserviceandtheutilitiesandcommercial
businessestheyaretheclerksandthesecretaries,thelawyers,thedoctors,theaccountantsthereisntasinglefacetofthisstatethat
wouldfunctioniftheydidntmaintainit.NoonewithanEmiratipassportcouldchangeafuse.Yet,theworkers,whomakeuproughly
71percentofthepopulation,havepreciousfewrightshere.Theycantbecomecitizens,thoughsomearethethirdgenerationoftheir
familytobebornhere.Theycanbedeportedatanytime.Theyhavenoredress.ManyoftheAsianlaborersareowedbackpaythey
arentlikelytoget.Therearereamsofanecdotalstoriesabouttheabuseofguestworkers.ImtoldaboutthePakistanishopassistant
who,pickingupanArabwomansshoppingbags,accidentallypassedgas,gotarrested,andwasjailed.

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Out-of-towners getting ready for the Dubai World Cup.

heArabsliveintheirownghettos,large,dullcontainmentsofbighousesthatarehalfgaragebehindsecuritywalls,weighed
downwithsatellitedishes.Wedrivebyanemptylot,andmydrivertellsmethatthiswasthesiteofthehouseofthesecond
sonofahighrankingofficial.DaddyhaditbulldozedwhenhisboywascaughthavingaWesternstylerichbratsparty.
Thereisagrowing,unspokenproblemwiththeindigenousyouthhere.Fat,andspoiledbeyondreason,theyaretitanically

rude.Theyhavereportedlytakentoformingslovenlygangsthathavebeenresponsibleforrandomattacksonforeignworkersand
womensimplyforthecomputergamefunofit.Thisisagenerationofkidswhoexpecttoneverseriouslyworkbutdoexpectsecure
jobs.AnIndianmanagerwhorunshotelsinDubaitoldmethateverybodydreadsthecallfromsomeroyalArabtellingthemtoexpect
anephewwhowillbecomingtowork.Theboywilldemandanoffice,asecretary,acar,wages,deference,andanemptyschedule.Its
asortofprotectionshakedownthatyoupaytodobusinesshere.
TheAlMaktoumsaresecretiveandautocratic,asmostArabdespotsare.Theemirisalwaysprimeminister.AbuDhabisruleris
alwayspresident.Theroyalfamilyspublicexposureisuniversallyadoring,supine,sycophantic,andbreathlesslybland.Thereare
rumors,alwaysrumors,aboutdisappearedprincesses,abductedchildren,madness,andsuicide.Theroyalfamilyowesitspowertoan
intricateweboffamilyalliance,patronage,andoperaticcharity.Itissincerelyrespected.

A reveler at the Dubai World Cup, the most lavish horse race in the world. The winner walks away with a $10 million prize.

heAlMaktoumshavetakentohorseracing.TheypracticallyowntheBritishandIrishbloodstockbusiness.Itsacleverand
selfservinghobby.HorsesareoneoftheveryfewupperclassAmericanandEuropeanenthusiasmsthataresharedwith
Arabs.AllracehorseshavealittleArabinthem.SotheAlMaktoumscanmixintheWestwithoutthatstigmathatthe

Saudissufferfrombackhomethepublicdecorumwithaprivate,Westerndecadence.Thesimplebusinessofbettingisof
courseignoredwithadisdainfullyturnedshoulder.SinceDubaisconstructionbasedeconomystumbled,theprincehasobliviously
openedamassiveandspectacularlyhideoushippodrome,theMeydanRacecourse.Thebiggestracetrackintheworld,itcostalmost
$3billiontobuild.ItshometotheDubaiWorldCup,themostexpensivehorseraceintheworld,naturally.Thisplacecouldnthave
thesecondmostexpensivehorseraceintheworld.Thewinnerpockets$10million.
Thetracksitsinawastelandsurroundedbytheexhaustedsquirmofmotorways.Iwalkarounditandlooknotatthegallopinghorses
andtheirbrightjockeysbutbackupatthestands.HereinonelongpanoramaistheDanteanvisionofmodernDubaitheArabs
huddledinaglassdome,lookinglikecreaturesfromaStarTrekepisodeintheirsepulchralwindingsheetdishdashas.Nexttothem
arethestandsforWesterners,mostlyBritish,loudanddrunk,dressedintheirtartypartygear.Thegirls,raucousandprovocative,
havefatthighsthatwobbleintinyfrocks.Cantileveredbosomslurch.Theboys,spikyandgelled,glassyeyedandleering.Inthelast
enclosure,theAsians,packedinwithfamiliesandpicnics,excitedtobeoutofthePortakabindormitoriesandtheboredomandthe
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homesicknessofInternetcafs.Infrontofthemallaretheranksofwiredupsecurityguards,makingsurethelayersofthismutually
dismissivesocietydontpolluteeachother.Afterthehorseshaverun,EltonJohnwillperform.
Dubaiistheparableofwhatmoneymakeswhenithasnopurposebutitsownmultiplicationandgrandeur.Whentheculturethat
holdsitistoofrailtocontainit.Dubaiisaplacethatdoesntjustknowthepriceofeverythingandthevalueofnothingbutmakes
everythingworthless.TheanswertoeverythinginDubaiismoney.Inthedarknessofthehotnight,themotorwaysroarwithFerraris
andPorschesandLamborghinisthefatboysarebefuddledandstupefiedbysportscarstheyracearoundonnowhereroads,going
nowhere.Taxidriversoftheirambitionless,allconsumingentitlement.Shortchangedbybeinggiveneverything.Cursedwithmoney.

Inside Ski Dubai, an indoor ski resort in the middle of the desert.

S HA RE

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