Diamonds in the desert

So this week, diamonds or cubic zirconia? Real or imitation? I will again look at two texts;‘AT HOME IN THE NEON’ from 'AIR GUITAR' by Dave Hickey and ‘FEAR AND MONEY IN DUBAI’ from 'EVIL PARADISES' by Mike Davis, both, unsurprisingly from the title, set in the desert locales of Las Vegas and Dubai. Aside from the sand, my first impressions of similarity are thematic, with a recurrence of last week’s idea of reality which in this case is emphasised by its juxtaposition with the unreal. 

The tone of each being quite different. Hickey is positive and lyrical and uses personal experiences to enlighten the reader and suggests a 'real' whereas Davis uses data and filmic simile throughout to draw attention to this unreality through intangible abstraction.

At home in the neon gives a glimpse of life in Las Vegas, but more than that it gives a feeling of what it is actually like. It is brilliantly lucid in its depiction of this unique desert city. While it initially seems a strange habitat for a critical academic, we are taken on a journey to justify why Hickey feels there is no better place to call home. This journey uses clear reasoning of small or seemingly inconsequential matters [such as the aspirations of a waitress] to show that Vegas is the true reaction to the fake, or the staid routine which is prevalent throughout the rest of America. It allows, or rather encourages people to be themselves and judges people on what they do rather than what they have. It seems counter-intuitive that in an environment which survives by tantalising the [reckless] senses, one is essentially a master of ones own destiny and as such is an embodiment of the American dream. The real is on the surface, there is no ‘secret Vegas’.

 If we compare this to the Mike Davis piece on Dubai it really does highlight their differences. Dubai looks a similar proposition at first glance to Vegas, like a diamond and a lump of zirconia; they both glisten in the baking sun. However, upon close inspection the Dubai stone reveals itself as nothing but an expensive fake. Davis’ piece allows this closer inspection. It is pristine, gigantic, awe-inspiring and polished, but overwhelmingly- it's strange. It wants to have the biggest, the best, the shiniest, everything! It wants to be No.1, whatever that means- [nonesense obviously] but different rules apply in fantasy land. Interesting comparisons are drawn with Speer's [read Hitler's] plans for Germania. Similarities of scale [vast] of ambition [biggest at all cost, just for the sake of it] of realisation [exploitative] of role [propagandist] of conception [delusional] and of shear optimism. However, Speer [Hitler] was desiging for the 2000 year Reich, for all their woes, you could not level short-termism at the German pair. With rising sea levels, harsh climate, short lifespan materials and a rapidly dwindling oil supply, Dubai feels like a crazy ephemeral joy ride.

It is an ostentatious hyper real environment which is minutely controlled to batter your senses. It is a place where stuff is valued, materialism is encouraged and where gratuotous displays of wealth are commonplace. For me, Dubai feels like an interpretation of a city, and an interpretation of a desire rather than a reaction to a demand.

This is in marked contrast with the other text. Hickey highlights what is Vegas’ most unique attribute, describing it as ‘flat line social hierarchy’ this attribute is particularly counter intuitive given the context of a money-driven industry in a capitalist economy. But it is exactly this context which ensures this hierarchy. Money doesn't know fame, or clique, or reputation. It is completely subjective. People are defined by and therefore treated by the way they behave. This behaviour is totally independent and self-governed.

Vegas is defined by two charming rules; 

1. Post the odds and 
2. Treat everyone the same. 

This simple democratic process would be an interesting way to run a government, would it not? Especially in these times where we always hear people banging on about ‘transparency’ ... I like the idea of a system where you know where you stand. Imagine DC standing up in the commons and saying ‘you have a 1 in 5 chance of leaving University and getting a job you actually want... or Osbourne saying that ‘ there is  a 30% that our deficit reduction plan is likely to succeed’... or Gove saying ‘there is a 90% chance I will make a terrible decision’... then at least we would know where we stand. As Hickey delightfully points out; 'Vegas cheats you fair'.

 If you will grant me one final metaphorical foray it is like a shape-shifting alien taking a human form so it can move among us, taking perfectly all the attributes that make up a man but taking none of the depth or the imperfections. Greeted with this perfect, polished specimen you would be acutely aware of its strangeness; the absence of flaws would be both imperceptible and yet glaringly obvious. The alien would probably be happy to be different.

You are not free to inhabit Dubai in the traditional sense, and certainly not in the make-your-own-rules type of way that is possible in Vegas. Dubai requires its ‘abaya’ to always remain in place, to mask its imperfections and hide its stupidity, and as such it requires order and necessitates governance.

The sheiks new clothes.

On a side note, and unable to resist a quick foray into pop psychology...Freud would have a field day with Hickey! Parent issues, almost recreating his fathers life, unable to move on, yet trying to escape the monotonous American life of the suburbs with the picket fence imagery, using the idea of escaping [the hell of] mom and dad and fucking Ithica...or anywhere. And being so damning of Americans being ‘parented into senility’. Ouch,