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sotonohito t1_j220vgk wrote

Reply to comment by DefNotANerd in Saudi Arabia in talks over plans for next-generation space stations. Saudi space official lays out ambitions for commercial ventures among the stars. by jivatman

Yeah, and the oil money will be gone in 20 or 30 years, there's no time for all those huge megaprojects they're talking about to be built.

The Saudi citizenry mostly does no work at all, almost all labor is performed by imported workers who are kept in near slavery conditions. They don't have an economy outside pumping oil out of the ground, and they have no workforce trained to do anything.

Once the oil is gone Saudi Arabia will collapse to become an impoverished nation.

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werdnak84 t1_j22ivpo wrote

This the same reason why they're trying to develop tourist attractions on manmade islands, and why they're starting a golf league to compete with PGA. Oil is on its way out, and they're panicking.

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sotonohito t1_j23p2dk wrote

Which is why they're doing stupid things like golf courses. No one wants to travel thousands of miles to a sand pit to play golf. And the water requirements of a golf course are expensive in a place like Saudi Arabia.

They'll always have at least some tourism simply because of Mecca, but I'm doubtful that they can sustain an entire national economy on that.

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werdnak84 t1_j23tkum wrote

No one. Except the wealthy. Attract the billionaires and that's the easiest in to getting what you want.

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sotonohito t1_j23v5y8 wrote

The wealthy only go to Saudi Arabia because it's rich, money has a gravity. Once Saudi Arabia is a poverty stricken nation the world's rich will go elsewhere.

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bdonasam_1 t1_j23hrp4 wrote

I guess me my 9-5 job as Saudi is just a dream

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