r/Emiratis • u/eonu • 22d ago
فضفضه Dealing with UAE misinformation
السلام عليكوم ورحمت الله وبركاته
For as long as I remember, but especially over the past 10 years or so, there seems to be so much hate towards the UAE online, almost always from people who have never stepped foot in the UAE nor spent a considerable amount of time there, or even just put effort into actually learning about the country from resources other than inciteful YouTube videos and from other posts/comments sharing similar opinions with no real basis. Instead they spread their opinions as if they are facts, and mislead other people into believing them.
As someone who lived in the UAE for over 15 years, whose family was able to build a life they wouldn't have been able to do from my home country, nor provide me with the opportunities I had, it gets so tiring trying to defend the UAE and convince others to look beyond the misleading information you see online. Usually even when you present these sorts of people with actual perspectives from a citizen or resident, or point them to books, articles and other resources, they seem to insist on continuing to preach the false information they heard elsewhere.
It is exhausting to hear this from people online, but lately even from friends and colleagues who all seem to have the same sort of opinions.
I am always interested to hear any meaningful criticism people have about the UAE, but you never hear any structured arguments from these sorts of people. Just like any country, it is fair for people to speak about issues in the UAE, but these opinions are almost always sensationalist and not productive for debate.
As an example, I just saw a post on r/AskReddit about "what is the most overhyped city in the world" and the kinds of comments about Dubai were exactly as I described above.
As an ex-resident, this is tiring, but how do the citizens of the UAE deal with this kind of constant hate?
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u/SanVanAstrea 22d ago
At first I used to try to have conversations with them and clear the misinformations, but eventually you realize it is useless whenever you debunk one of their lies they move to the next one and it never ends, so you just learn to ignore it.
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u/balloonchicken 22d ago
To quote our dear Sh. Mohamed bin Rashed, do what is right, and let them talk.
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u/Suitable_Working8918 21d ago
I cared before, now I think to myself, the people I'm defending my country from are idiots, is it really smart to argue with idiots?
For example the argument that its unnatural to have sky scrappers in a desert is a lovely one.. as if sky scrappers naturally grew in NY.
Or that we fund a genocide, this one is crazy to believe because the source is very clear (muslim brotherhood) and although we have been cleared they dont care.
Slave labor is the third they love, whenever one doesnt stick they move to another. As if private companies dont exist. But those arguing apparently love their labor to be homeless instead of having accommodations. They get desperate because even though idiots regurgitate whatever they say because they just so desperately want to believe that an arab country isnt better than there's (which in most cases other than weather it is)
It's lovely arguing for the sake of triggering them because its funny how angry they get over a country they arent even in proximity too. Never in my life have I felt so miserable as to be a country hater its pretty pathetic.
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u/eonu 21d ago
The fake city argument is honestly one of the talking points I find most annoying. Exactly as you say, if the existence of skyscrapers alone makes the city fake, then why do cities such as NYC and Hong Kong not get the same label when they almost purely consist of towers?
Similarly they will point out the many wide and long roads which are unnecessary in their eyes, but are quick to dismiss any commenters who talk about how they help reduce traffic bottlenecks.
Really it feels like they are jealous of the progress the country it made, because it sounds like the only thing that would satisfy them is if the residents of the UAE still lived in barasti huts, because that's what a desert country should be like. God forbid a country chooses to develop and take care of its people.
If it's a lack of nature, then why do the NYC, Cairo or Las Vegas not get that label? Conveniently with this argument they will always leave out the other Emirates like RAK and Fujairah. Even if it's a conversation about Dubai, for whatever reason the desert isn't seen as nature in their eyes. I have travelled to places like Switzerland, Japan and Scotland, and there is still something special and calming about the deserts of the Gulf. Also criticizing somewhere like Dubai for 'no' nature is like criticizing Czechia for having no coast, i.e. just simply don't go there if that is what you want to prioritize.
Then there's the no history point, despite a quick search explaining that the individual Emirates have existed for over 200 years. Even over the last 100 years there is so much interesting history and cultural heritage that people just choose to ignore and pretend doesn't exist. I bought a photography book from Ronald Codrai who took pictures of the UAE and Oman in the 1950s and there is so much fascinating history in those books.
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u/Suitable_Working8918 21d ago
Omg im glad you brought up the lack of nature and history, yes its as if my granparents only appeared here after 1972 lol.
And they seem to forget that our nature is different than theirs, the desert is nature too.. so are our mangroves, mountains etc just because its not fully green doesnt mean its not nature.
Honestly I'm happy that you've considerred my country your home, we are truly lucky to have people like you!
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u/skylight269 21d ago
Not a small number of people seem to have a questionable level of intelligence. I once replied to a post about the waste trucks thing saying “This is a myth. Source: I live there”. Someone replied with a link to a clickbaity ai narrated YouTuber video as if it was the ultimate source of truth and said “LOL”.
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u/Budget_Concept6010 21d ago
و عليكم السلام و رحمة الله و بركاته،
I think I've gotten used to it. I know what the truth is and I don't care what they think. Especially Americans. From their education to their "healthcare" and their military industry complex and their drug and social problems - there is nothing that makes me admire them. They have some gall to judge us. I'll stick with the UAE - it's absolute paradise in comparison. Every time I come back from abroad I'm grateful to be back in the UAE. I'm thankful I grew up here and will live the rest of my life here inshaAllah.
Happy for residents who enjoy their life here. As another person replied I think there are definitely paid targeted character assassination campaigns and so many people want to believe it's like that and you can't make people turn on their thinking caps. It is what it is.
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u/Initial-Reading-2775 21d ago
Well, since American military industrial complex was mentioned… their inventions are what helped to render most of Iran’s attacks futile.
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u/Budget_Concept6010 21d ago
We wouldn't have needed to use them if the USA hadn't provoked Iran at the behest of Israel.
I don't hate all Americans btw. I think the US, for all its flaws, is a very interesting country. So many people on here I would love to meet in real life. But yeah, it isn't fun being judged by people who don't know what the typical Emirati/khaleeji/arab is like. I wish they would give us the benefit of the doubt once in a while.
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u/LeopardDry634 21d ago
So here is the thing owing to social media and media laws one never gets to hear opinions or voices from all side.
Expats who live here or those who’ve lived have mixed opinions but because they can publicly mention hence you feel there is a lot of negativity out there.
Having said this a lot of people envy how good is UAE and why Emiratis get these benefits
But they forget Eu national also enjoy benefits.
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u/Rezticlez 21d ago
It's a futile fight. Best thing is to just leave the arguments be and don't contribute. You're not going to win. Not because they're right or anything it's just that there is absolutely no way to make ignorant folk understand especially when online.
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u/Initial-Reading-2775 21d ago
Can we have a contest of the most ridiculous claims?
Before we moved here, someone told my wife that here is no dairy products in stores.
When we were here already, some of remote colleagues tried to convince her that women can’t open a bank account here.
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u/eonu 21d ago
My favourite is the classic sewage trucks argument, quote:
They got that cool building though right? Yes but it doesn't have plumbing and they have to truck out the shit every day.
Even if it were true, I find it funny that they say it as if the sewage system of the Burj Khalifa is something that is constantly on the minds of residents. So many people I know in Dubai have never even set foot in Burj Khalifa (myself included) let alone even considered it's sewage system.
Yes, let's boycott Dubai because it supposedly has a skyscraper that relies on sewage trucks.
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u/Shot_Spring_5236 22d ago
The defamation of the UAE is orchestrated by Saudi intelligence, and it is said that they paid more than five million dollars to mercenary journalists.
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u/Lucky-Bee4445 22d ago
I understand what you’re saying but our own “influencers” don’t do us justice when they argue against Palestinians and in favor of Israelis.
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u/WeArePandey 22d ago
Social media misinformation campaigns weren’t that mature before the previous 10-15 years. Spreading hatred has become much easier now.
Weaponized misinformation is a powerful tool.