What it is that happens when Dubai meets Hegel’s concrete universal, Harvey’s absolute space, Zizek’s desert of the real?
Now, like many of the foreign workers who make up 90 percent of the population here, [Sofia, a 34-year-old Frenchwoman], has been laid off and faces the prospect of being forced to leave this Persian Gulf city — or worse.
“I’m really scared of what could happen, because I bought property here,” said Sofia, who asked that her last name be withheld because she is still hunting for a new job. “If I can’t pay it off, I was told I could end up in debtors’ prison.”
With Dubai’s economy in free fall, newspapers have reported that more than 3,000 cars sit abandoned in the parking lot at the Dubai Airport, left by fleeing, debt-ridden foreigners (who could in fact be imprisoned if they failed to pay their bills). Some are said to have maxed-out credit cards inside and notes of apology taped to the windshield.
Mmm, that’s the best news I’ve heard all morning! Eat the Rich!
A place which spends so much of its resources punishing people for circumstances beyond their control (i.e. “poppy seed stuck in your shoe tread = jail”) deserves to be abandoned. Modern city my arse. Didn’t the rest of the world do away with Debtors prison over 150 years ago?
serves them right
Debtor’s prison? Yeah, I’m going to live in a country like that, sure. Suffering fools and their money.
My favorite part of the article is the end: ” “Before, so many of us were living a good life here,” Mr. Thiab said. “Now we cannot pay our loans. We are all just sleeping, smoking, drinking coffee and having headaches because of the situation.”
And also the rumors about cockroaches coming out of the faucets in fancy hotels.
really, everything about this article is amazing
Did they leave the keys in the cars?
The dry desert air is an execellent preservative. For the tourist of the future this city will be a jaw-droppingly gorgeous ruin.
You brought property in a country that has fucking debtors prisons?!? Outstanding. Where’s your multi-culti *now*?
“bought.” No one can bring property. Obviously. Awesome/terrifying post, Charles.
celebrate divershitty
“A New York Times employee in Dubai contributed reporting.”
Anonymous for good reasons, no doubt.
Rock, meet hard place.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
pant pant pant
HHAAAAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH
fuck you Dubai, good riddance
couldn’t happen to a nicer Ponzi scheme of a city. it will be down to the Emir & Michael Jackson soon.
So far one of my high school classmates still has her job in Dubai.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Where’s that photo from?
@15, It’s grand how The Stranger respects copyright laws, isn’t it? you’d think Savage would have more respect for (and impress upon his employees the importance of) those laws considering he had his own work stolen from him by that sex columnist in … NY? Anyhow, http://www.chromasia.com/iblog/archives/… is another place you can find a (larger) version.
WiS@14: you have high school classmates that are still alive?
And we wondered where all the money from those credit default swaps went? Apparently a good portion of it is sitting in a parking lot at the Dubai airport. Now all we need is some rising tides and there goes the palm tree sand bar development. But then again, Venice is still afloat. Who knows, may be 600 years before Dubai disappears.