Satellites & BFFs

United Satellite States…With all the talk of a resurgent Middle Eastern wind of democracy, Lebanese and Iranian elections (where in Lebanon the pro-western coalition prevailed and the, soon to be decided Iranians’ are certainly ruffling Ahmadinejad’s feathers), as well as a promise to leave Iraq to its own (albeit still extremely unsteady) devices, continue the “war” in Afghanistan and further cement the opportunity for the Palestinians to create their own state alongside that of Israel - one would think that the entire Middle East was an absolute mess of incompetent regimes without Western assistance and a people so out-of-tune with the rest of the world.

Reading a recent report on Obama’s visit to the Middle East last week, the lack of understanding of some of the nuances of the “Arab-street” was striking. Commentators are prone to jumping over one another to attest to the massive amounts of assistance the region so dearly requires when dealing with thorny issues such as liberalism and democracy. Lest they forget that some parts of the Middle East (the Levant in particular) were the cradle for modern day civilisations – and the foundation for the creation of a body of people representing a nation to work and govern together for the greater good. Easy to forget your history when it is not taught correctly in (western) schools I guess.

Clash of civilisation aside, the stereotypical view of the Middle East - by those either too lazy to learn more at their own behest or unfortunately receivers of “information” from only Fox News (with a clear inability to locate the broadcast channel for Al Jazeera International) - is patently and immensely out-of-tune with the reality - by proof of even a brief visit to the Gulf. Within the vastly differing cultures and atmospheres of the GCC constituent nations, there is one strong underlying current of influence that pervades every degree of modern popular culture – and it is unashamedly American. In fact, so influential and intricately immersed is the American way, that a visitor is invariably surprised and positively shocked at just how familiar some (mainly commercial) aspects of daily life are. Even in Saudi, the most puritanical of the region’s Islamic states, the reality behind-closed-doors would be far more familiar to a visiting tourist than their skewed-anticipations (problem is they still aren’t allowed into the country).

Yes, the religion is different, and yes the prevailing sense of community is quite distinctive in its Arabic roots, but this is often true on the surface of things in most part. Apart from the very visible influences of US-fast-food chains (you’ll never see more McDonald’s and KFCs on one stretch of road anywhere else), a required-love-affair with shopping malls, a devotion to large American cars (even if American’s themselves don’t buy them anymore) not to mention the design and layout of the roads themselves (a visitor from LA feels quite at home on the multi-lanes motorways of Dubai), it is the pervasive, powerful influence (some might call it infiltration) of US television shows and movies into the average Middle Eastern home via satellite that is most striking.

A study almost 50 years ago (not too long after Orwell’s publication of 1984) concluded that the most effective manner of altering a people’s thinking was through concerted audio-visual stimulus. The US’s success in bringing down the era of Communism across Eastern Europe has been partly accredited to the overwhelming desire by the masses in those former Soviet-block nations to “live the American dream” – what they really wanted to live was a similar life to what they watched on boot-legged and smuggled videos of American popular culture.
The almost universal penetration of US prime-time shows to the Mid-East household (from the 1960s where there were but a handful of terrestrial channels controlled by the state-government, to the incarnation of the first Middle-Eastern US-style channel, MBC, in 1991, and even the US’s own propaganda effort through Al-Hurra launched in 2004) has been unparalleled in its influence. The problem is that although the young and educated throughout the Middle East are literally being brought up on a diet of western burgers and MTV teen-angst experiences, those living in the west are learning nothing about some of the nuances of the Middle Eastern way. It is all well and good having the average inhabitant in Kuwait or Saudi able to recite on demand the names of characters in the Simpsons, or choose the distinctive (and annoying) ring-tone from 24 for their mobile-phone, but what about the European or US teenager understanding a little more about their peers in Qatar and Oman? What about understanding some of their unique life experiences? A lack of accessible programming focused on these issues must be to blame.

It is slightly frustrating when you read or listen to reports that make this part of the world sound so far away from the ideals of others, when the reality is a people (apart from the obvious pockets of extremism that end-up the focus of disproportionate attention) very closely-tuned to the same Desperate Housewives and CSI diluted messages.

Paris hits Dubai…
In testament to the Arabic love-affair with all things blonde-bubbly-and-on-TV, was interesting to learn that the extremely credible/reputable, self-styled “celebrity-for-being-a-celebrity” Paris Hilton, is planning on spending a good 6-weeks in Dubai (just as the heat is setting-in) cooped up in one of the city’s Presidential-suites. She will be in Dubai for the filming of a show where she puts contestants through their paces for the chance to become her new BFF (that’s “Best-Friend-For-Ever” for those not in parlance with the latest Hollywood-hot-talk).

This is going to play out wonderfully for two reasons: the first of course being the huge marketing bonanza that Dubai will enjoy when it clearly needs it most, by having one of the most closely followed fashionistas (or is that fashion victim) of our MTV-generation gallivanting around Dubai-town in what must be a perfect match of pretentiousness and a desire to do nothing but party in one of the most over-the-top destinations riddled with equally fake and shallow venues.

Moreover, if ever there was a city that matched the Paris Hilton “brand” – Dubai would certainly be it. The clubs and bars – well that’s about it really – that will be frequented by Hilton during her stay will each be delighted at having the opportunity to flaunt and promote their moment of glory with the attendance of the first-lady-of-glory-seeking. I must admit, I really do quite like and admire Paris Hilton in much the same way as I give credit to Dubai – both have made a great success out of nothing with the building of a great marketing machine, carving for themselves a brand so well-managed and promoted that almost every individual has heard or seen something about either one – the next 6-wks are going to be a blast (not to mention a gold-mine for those more satirical journalists out there).

Whether Paris Hilton finds a new true new friend or not through her show, Dubai is already purring at the thought of making itself her, albeit temporary, bosom-buddy.