‘A Home in the Neon’ from Air Guitar by Dave Hickey &
‘Sand, Fear and Money in Dubai’ from Dreamworlds of Neo-Liberalism – Evil Paradises by Mike Davis
I’ve never had the pleasure of visiting Dubai or Vegas, and I don’t have any immediate intention of visiting either. Las Vegas just isn’t my thing really, and seems relatively honest about its misgivings and everything Dubai seems to stand for and represent I can’t stand, honestly the audacity of the place makes me want to scream in the face of anyone who openly tangles themselves up in its web of deceit…sorry, I should stop there, the place really does make my blood boil.
Both these pieces of text voice very differing views of the respective city they write about.
Dave Hickey’s warm and jovial piece about the Vegas he has come to know as home portrays a misunderstood world that, despite its flaws has a beauty in its honesty. Mike Davis’ piece on Dubai paints a brutal truth about a city born without constraints that seems to be growing out of control (the Hunter S. Thompson reference in the title made me chuckle, although the style of writing bears little resemblance).
The important thing to point out here is that these are all just the writers views…they have their own agendas…I have mine…but let’s see what we can get out of this?
The way money is treated in the two cities is really quite different. Dave Hickey talks about money in Vegas all being the same, I like the analogy that when the chips are down everyone has the same odds. He highlights that this makes the city fundamentally more ‘fair’ than the rest of the country and even life. A card game has a guaranteed chance of a win.
On the flipside, money and status in Dubai is EVERYTHING. The gap between rich and poor is obscene, and despite all efforts to sweep it under the carpet it’s obvious. This dis-honesty is in a stark contrast to the way Hickey describes Vegas. Sure it is the city of sin, but we know that, they know that and they don’t hide it for a second. Perhaps there is merit in this?
Hickey describes Vegas as a lens to view the rest of America. This is what we are like when we are taken out of the constraints of everyday life, ‘what is hidden elsewhere exists here.’ Unfortunately, I fear that Dubai is a lens of rather more large proportions giving us an insight into the capitalistic nature of the world we live in today, and that scares me more than anything.
Just one last point, which I’m ashamed to say, has almost slipped my mind. That question of sustainability (I can see you reading this and yawning already).
A SKI SLOPE IN THE DESERT FOR GODSAKE?!
It’s as ludicrous as it sounds. Vegas is a city of an age of ignorance so I suppose it can somewhat be forgiven, but Dubai seems to be the future (unfortunately), it’s unusual that Davis has missed a topic which blows the city built on oil out of the water every time? (and no, Masdar DOESN’T count!)
Maybe I should visit these cities enjoy them a bit and judge for myself.
Vegas? Yeah maybe (post student debt years!)
Dubai, well, the odds just don’t look that good to me …
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