Dining Across the Divide: A Encounter Among Different Viewpoints
Introducing the Individuals
One Participant: P., 34, London
Occupation Ex- government employee, currently a student studying public health
Political history Voted Green last time (also a member of the party); previously Labour. Describes himself as “left, and internationalist instead of nationalist”
Amuse bouche A drawing of a teacup he created as a kid was once displayed in the Irish National Gallery
Second Participant: A., 43, Harrow
Profession Risk analyst in the construction sector
Voting record Hailing from India, Akshat has lived in the UK for five years, and supported Conservative. Describes himself as “slightly moderate right”
Interesting fact He taught himself to understand Urdu. “It has no practical use for me, I was just fascinated”
Initial impressions
Akshat During the past 20 years, I have resided and been employed in the Middle East, East Asia, the US. The issues Peter and I discussed are UK-centric, but they are also universal, because people's lives more or less evolve similarly across the world. I was expecting someone very liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we had a productive, logical conversation. I drank beer, he opted for mojitos.
Peter We shared starters – seafood rolls, dumplings, radish cakes with sprouts, which were superb. I was a little nervous, as I believe he was too. Was he going to attack me for my sensitivity? We’re both immigrants. I grew up in Dublin; I’ve lived in the United States and the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our love of London.
Key disagreements
Akshat I view migration like adding salt to a dish. When you add a little bit, the food is delicious. Add too little or too much and the meal is insipid or overly seasoned.
The second participant Akshat had a metaphor about salt. It would be a funny place to exist if the state was selecting some preferred demographic of the nation.
Akshat There are, sadly, individuals escaping oppression, but many migrants arriving in the United Kingdom are those seeking better finances who do not necessarily add significant value and can weigh on the benefit system. Nobody forces you to move to a different nation for prospects, so you should only go if you can take care of yourself and your relatives.
Peter We became confused with some of the facts. I don’t think it is the case that you come over and work and then following a half-decade you obtain permanent citizenship. Nothing is automatic. The climate has been unwelcoming since Theresa May, visa fees are quite expensive, there is an NHS surcharge, access to benefits is limited. The red carpet isn’t rolled out for anybody. And regarding the recent changes, whereby family reunification is restricted, it’s incredible to say: we desire your labor, but we reject you as a person. I believe we must maintain a degree of compassion.
Common ground
Akshat Peter questions unregulated markets. I am, too, but at the same time, wealth creation benefits society and ought to be promoted.
The second participant We’re both internationalist. And we agreed that certain elements of society – government, the press – benefit from stoking division. We did find shared understanding in basic principles and values.
For afters
The first participant Peter is of the opinion that because the United Kingdom benefitted from the colonial era, it ought to provide reparations to affected nations. I simply think: you cannot judge history with present day morality; eras vary, current society were not responsible of events decades or a century ago. Let’s say the Britain was obliged to repay the Indian nation, it would be a significant sum of money. Is the UK in a position to manage that? No.
Peter Until recently, I believe there was much reckoning with colonial history. For example, upon my arrival to the UK, the public had little knowledge of the Irish famine and the part that colonialism contributed to it. I hold that decolonisation is not merely about issuing payments, it ought to involve looking at what went wrong and where we should be now.
Takeaways
The first participant It won’t change the way I think, but I appreciate his worries. I talk to individuals regularly whose views are contrary to mine. It’s about bringing everyone to the same page, in order that all of us can work towards the betterment of the community.
The second participant We remained for 150 minutes. He enjoyed a sweet treat and I had a Japanese dessert wine. I didn’t persuade him of anything, but we both enjoyed dinner, so we could hopefully be more receptive to engaging in dialogues with other people in the coming times.
