Beirut - where does it fit in?

I have to confess I don't understand how Beirut fits into the countries we have seen so far. Egypt, Jordan and Syria are all broadly similar countries, not surprising given their shared Islamic heritage. There are of course differences, for instance the influence of the Ottoman empire in cuisine and language is slightly more noticeable in Syria and Jordan than in Egypt. When you enter Lebanon from Syria, it is greener and the pace of commerce is greater, but there is nothing to prepare you for Beirut. Downtown is skyscrapers and gleaming new buildings. The souq in Beirut is home to designer shops and coffee bars designed to be seen in. The corniche is full of young beautiful people promenading and strutting. The streets are full of very expensive cars, sports cars, and large black SUVs. The impression is of conspicuous consumption. Of course we were staying in West Beirut which is the richer part of the city, but still the difference versus say, Damascus, was striking. I am struck by the need to learn more to understand what makes this city tick. Maybe every big country or region just needs an escape valve - Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Dubai etc - where capitalism and pleasure can run riot?