Dubai a Cauldron of Volatile People?

A masked performer, just outside a theater in Festival City, Dubai (February 8th 2008)

Personally, I'm concerned that as stress in our daily lives heighten and as we continue to have an influx of different nationalities, Dubai will become more and more a cauldron of volatile people.

That is what I wrote to Brandy Scott, when I e-mailed her on June 18th 2008, about what I was observing among people in Dubai.  She was a broadcaster and a co-host of Business Breakfast talk radio.  I'd listen to their show every morning en route to the office.  Here is the full text of my e-mail and our exchange:

I'm a Philippine-born, American expat in Dubai. I have a PhD in clinical psychology, but I shed the "shrink" moniker years ago when I moved into management consulting (Middle East, US and Europe).

When I was a psychology professor in that previous life, I reflected on race relations and the dynamics or mechanisms that make these positive or negative. What I came up with was a Model of Cultural Imperatives.

First of all, an imperative is like a drive, a need, or even a force. Whatever drives a moth to flame, e.g., is what I mean by "imperative." There are four: (a) sameness, (b) identity, (c) safety, and, yes, (d) simplicity.

Briefly:

• Sameness - it's what drives people to relate to (hang out with) people of their own nationality or profession or neighborhood etc. We can see this phenomenon at a cocktail party, e.g.
• Identity - it's what a person or group is compelled to establish for itself: Who I am or who we are... [fill in nationality, trait etc.]
• Safety - we humans are geared to protect ourselves, not just physically but also emotionally, psychologically and spiritually (cf. The awful worldwide row surrounding the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad [pbuh] from that Danish newspaper. Many people experienced these as a threat to their safety, and reacted violently to defend and protect themselves.)
• Simplicity - take the smartest, most open-minded person in the world, and put him or her under great stress, and his or her thinking, attitudes, outlook etc. can become very black-or-white. Such a complex, sensitive issue as abortion in the US has become, at points in time, a simplistic, polarized stand between Pro-Choice and Pro-Life proponents.

Why, on this last imperative? Well, our brains and our disposition have limited capacities. Given high levels of stress in our daily lives here in Dubai (from high costs of living, traffic congestions, construction sites encroaching everywhere), even the best of us can handle only so much. Thankfully, the vast majority of us have good capacities and don't go bonkers. Nevertheless, I think cultural tensions are seeping more and more seeping into the things we say to each other, what we do, how we relate to one another: To wit, "if you don't like it here, get out!"

This Model of Imperatives offers insights into the nature of race relations, cultural differences and human behavior. Personally, I'm concerned that as stress in our daily lives heighten and as we continue to have an influx of different nationalities, Dubai will become more and more a cauldron of volatile people. What I began to build into my Model, however, are ways to improve relations and minimize such combustible tensions.

Anyway, lots to talk about here. Pls let me know if you'd like to discuss.

On June 28th Scott responded:

Interesting stuff! (I take it this is in response to the chat I was having with Alex McNab last week, about the language used in Dubai.) Actually, I've noticed lately how many people seem to be happy to report that others are struggling to make ends meet, or that international reports are saying the boom here 'can't last' - do you think this is because it makes them feel better about struggling themselves? Perhaps makes them feel that it is not just them?

Who are you a management consultant for, btw?

Then, I responded the next day:

It was actually a chat you had with Wael Al Sayegh that morning when I sent my SMS and e-mail to you. The subject was Modhesh and the universality of the brand. A bit later on in the chat, you referred to simplistic attitudes of people.

(BTW: I've met Wael and he's surely an articulate, learned man. Glad you have him on your show periodically.)

Sorry, I didn't fully introduce myself: I'm a management trainer at Emirates National Oil Co. (ENOC) Group, where I specialize in leadership development (2 years in Dubai). I was formerly a management consultant with Personnel Decisions International (US-based firm), and my client work became more focused on the Middle East in the 4-5 years before I left the firm. I left clinical psychology in 1999 to become a management consultant with PDI.

Yeah, I think you're right. But there's just so many complex things about us human beings that there's no one explanation for the things we do or say:

• It could be denial - a flat refusal to accept the reality that one is struggling: 'It's them, not me!' (imperative of identity, the need to set well-delineated boundaries between us/me and them).
• It could be the sort of solace in "misery loves company," where 'I feel better, knowing others are struggling, too' (imperative of sameness, which is comforting to many people).
• Then, it could be the cruel nature of some people, who take pleasure in others' pain, misery or unhappiness (imperative of safety, perhaps, if that cruelty arises from feeling supremely vulnerable or threatened underneath it all).

I hadn't thought much about my Model of Cultural Imperatives in recent years. But as cultural relations become more and more of an issue in Dubai, it's rising up to my consciousness again. Your chat with Wael was definitely a trigger.