As We Digress: Where Did Humanity, Sanity, and Other Things Go?

And just when we thought Dubai ran out of money we are yet to be proven wrong. Very wrong.

The lavish opening that I am watching as I write is one of the most extravagant yet meaningless shows I have ever witnessed. A one-billion pound skyscraper that stands 828 meters high that is not finished yet, and for some reason has been opened. It's a little over 160 floors, with each floor costing about 5.5 million pounds.

It has the largest dancing fountain, actually the largest dancing fountain with lights sticking every which way out. And the fireworks, oh the fireworks, enough to set all of Dubai on fire if directed strategically. Not to mention the robe-clad governor of Dubai and his entourage looking on. And why not? When you have a whole 800-meter skyscraper with your family name on it, hell I'd dance around Dubai naked. The thing that causes my ultimate, and possibly most serious form of dismay is this: when you run out of money, you don't build skyscrapers that are bound to cause you to go more bankrupt than you already are. And if you do have this kind of money for an 800-meter skyscraper, don't go on splurging ridiculously on its opening, because REMEMBER, you're out of money. And even more importantly, here are only a few suggestions as to how you can spend this kind of money and help millions of people out:

1- Ever hear of this little part of the Middle East called Gaza? Let me refresh your memory; it's this all-demolished part of Palestine that has no water, no food, no electricity, and no medicine to help its people survive the day, not life, just one miserable day.

2- Palestine. How about you flood it with some of your money? Just some, like the amount of money you spent on fireworks, singers, and other sources of entertainment for the opening of your much-admired tall building? After all, they do need medicine, jobs, food, and just little bit of safety.

3- Other Arab countries that are exploding with young energy but have no where to go but OUT of the Middle East and either get lucky or go back home disappointed. Create a fund for those who show excellence, creativity and potential of huge success and support them! All that for the cheap price of not-your-so-tall-building. You know, Dubai having this much money makes it the very rich sibling of cities in the Arab world who are slightly, or dramatically less wealthy. And with Dubai doing what it just did it totally rubbed it in each and every face of its siblings.

There's nothing wrong with having money and not being afraid to show it, but it's something else when the world needs your help and you just stand aside and watch.

4- It's a fact that the governor of Dubai has indeed paid some money for causes such as youth, and Arab entrepreneurship but that, unfortunately, is not enough. Greedy? think again. If there's more you can do, do it. Doing the bare minimum isn't going to cut it.

5- It's a fact that in ancient times Bedouins were known for their extreme kindness and generosity. Some were so generous that they'd feed the camels that they used for transport to passers by in the desert, guests, and family when they had to. Unfortunately, this way of dispensing of your properties does not work with real-money and today's world.

The fact that I so criticized Dubai and its spending schemes doesn't mean I don't respect the way it built itself into something out of nothing. And this doesn't mean that I'm a know-it-all about economy, because I admit: I am not, in fact, I have no idea about what's going on economically in the world, not enough any way. All I know is that there are better ways to get rid of money, and building an 800-meter building is most certainly not one of them. I am also aware that Sheikh Rashed has indeed done things for the youth, as I am a benefactor of one of his initiatives, I just wish he'd do more for everyone else just like he did to me and other young people.
I am of course also aware that my suggestions are far too idealistic, maybe also unrealistic... But one could only hope... Ain't nothin' wrong wit' dat, no?

But for now, Dubai just fed the world one huge-ass camel when it really didn't have to. Some soup would've been perfectly fine.