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Difference between Dubai and other western cities

I love Dubai and it's truly a great city. It's vibrant, clean, safe, and offers tonnes of opportunities. However, with all due respect, there are some limitations that pose serious challenges to the aspirations of becoming a perfect city (Does a perfect city exist? Look no further than Dubai, KT, Nov 3). Most of the residents, at around 85 per cent, are temporary and will always be temporary. You can live, work, and play but at some point in time, you have to leave.
What separates cities such as London, New York and others is that while they offer culture, work, opportunity, and they are also places which a family can truly call home. You are not always looking over your shoulder to make sure your job is intact so that you're not pushed out.
People look at such cities not just as a home for themselves but also for their children. There's sense of permanency to these places. Come to think of it, some of the richest and most innovative companies in America were founded by the children of immigrants. In the UK, some of the top politicians are the children of immigrants.
Thus while Dubai certainly offers a very comfortable lifestyle, if it remains forever temporary for the overwhelming majority of residents, it will always be limited and the truly ambitious lot of the world will choose London, New York, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, and other cities.
- Jamal Bradley, KT website