Interesting discussion, and it begs the Socratic question "What does it take to live a good life?"

That is, why would one consider, say, life in Suburban England with the Sunday chorus of power-tools, trips to B&Q or whatever one's particular lifestyle may be to be in any sense a more "genuine" life than the lifestyle(s) available here?

I find it hard to believe that location is going to affect the authenticity with which a person lives, in so far as we even have agreement on what living "authentically" actually entails....

lol...I remember in Holland all the men going outdoors during the weekend, washing their cars in the street...
For us...we had the 4x4 back home, and I drove a Wrangler just like I do now...we took the kids swimming on Sundaymorning, now we take them to the beach on Friday...same same but different...I don't think looking at these type of activities, like eating outdoors etc, you can label them a fake lifestyle...
And anyway, how can it be fake if you are actually doing it....hmmmm

HMMMMM

That was Socrates???? Sure Pete Doherty said that!

?

Like most of Western Philosophy, old Socrates got there first....

Mind you, with a face like that, what was the poor guy to do but sit and think all day????

LOL, my shallow friend. Yes, if life is the sum total of one's activities then it is ipso facto impossible to live a fake life....

Hmm, is doing SecondLife on the web real, or fake....

lol..I was waiting for the shallow....but since Annacarna was referring to these simple lifestyle things like car, dining and maids to illustrate the fakeness of it all, I thought I would not venture any deeper....

I gave examples of cars and maids ! As for simple who do you know in UK that has a maid?

There are lots of other examples but as we are never going to agree then ??

Ok let me ask you all on this forum one last thing, i have to work today, could you get a job in the UK, that enables you to support driving a 4x4, have a full time maid . go to 5* star hotels as norms, on a simialr salary you earn here, impossible!

But what does that prove....I truly don't see your point...there will always be people worse off, just as there are people that are far better off....how does that affect the realness or fakeness of ones lifestyle....what does the fact whether or not people back home have maids or cars have to do with whether or not people are living fake lives....
The only thing it proves is that people here are maybe better off, money wise...
but hey...is that what it is all about in life....to think like that is a bit simple I think....the way you talk is that having money and spending it is all that counts...

if you would have a payrise in the UK or a promotion, would you not spend the money to better your lifestyle...or would you think, well, I couldn't afford it before so I won't do it now either...

1. I am not 'your dear'

2. Of course I was effing joking

I truly dont see what you dont get, People come here, get a 4x4, get a maid. act like they are IT, they come from St Helens or Toxeth or someother hole back in the UK. get a bit of cash and behave as Lionheart and Twistopher have stated. Its all to much for them, they have no style and it shows

I was trying to be a little polite but there you go.

OMG read my posts, i certainly dont think that having and money and spending it is all that counts as you have stated. i have gone on and on about the have nots and slave labour and minimum wage and workers rights

I just don't see the relevance of your 'argument'.

Why is driving a 4x4, going out to nice places or having help a bad thing? I was prefectly able to afford that in the UK and know quite a few people there who have house-keepers, cleaners etc. It doesn't make them better ot worse than anybody else, nor is that the case here.

I can afford many of the so-called good things in life because I work very hard and have build a sold career. Surely the fact that I spend some of my money helps any economy. It has nothing to do with being fake, as you call it at all.

Seem that you either have a big chip on your shoulder or you attract these fake types with which you seem obsessed.

Oh & many people here wouldn't be quite so keen to align themselves with lionheart

OUCH or maybe u are just one of those people that oh dear i have attracted again!!!

I promise I am SO not attracted to you.


So you think I am fake, do you? You know nothing about me, not anyone else here.


I'll ask the usual qiestion: If you dislike the UAE, why don't you leave?