Home OpinionCommentThe Detroit of the Middle East

The Detroit of the Middle East

by Zak Brophy

Hearing people fall back on the refrain of labeling Beirut the “Paris of the Middle East” grates the nerves not only because it is a lazy cliché but also because it is patently so far from the truth. It may be true that lots of people, in certain quarters of the city, speak French, but that’s about as far as the similarities go. The sepia-hued nostalgia for the Beirut of days gone by tends to embrace the memories of a thriving, cosmopolitan city with a sophisticated swagger, where there were thriving markets, palm-tree lined parks and public transport. The nation’s capital has, however, fallen far. So far in fact that in the 2012 Mercer Quality of Living Worldwide City Rankings, Beirut placed a dismal 171 out of 221 cities. Money may still buy the luxuries of private beach clubs and 24-hour electricity for some, but none of us can escape

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