zlacker

>>Geeket+(OP)
All I ever hear is horror stories about this place: environmental destruction, structural racism, serious abuse of human rights, culturally hyper conservative, corrupt legal system, plus it's absurdly hot. I can't believe anyone would voluntarily go there, seems like hell on earth.

>>retube+ue
Because almost no one who moves to Dubai for a middle class job will ever experience any of the things you’ve listed except for the heat.

What they do experience is earning lots of tax-free money, and a vibrant city life. Obviously those negatives are all present but less of a threat than one might think from the outside.

Perhaps that seems like too much of a risk to some people. But to others, who aren’t living in “heaven-on-earth” first world countries it’s an easy gamble to make.

(Culturally hyper-conservative is especially hilarious for anyone who has been to a Dubai brunch.)

>>ycombi+Mf
The UEA tramples on a lot of middle class people, but most don’t get any press coverage.

>>Retric+Dj
Yes, and not only foreigners. There are plenty of poor Emiratis in fact.

This comes as a surprise to a lot of people who never been to UAE.

The percentage of uber-rich natives is grossly overestated by the popular image of the country. Nor there are that many really rich expats, unless with businesses outside of UAE, and who only come there to spend.

UAE is not a good place to make money in, but it's often a first choice for MNCs to setup in the region, as anywhere else in the region is even worse.

Only 10%-15% of the UAE population is somewhat close to American middle income standards.