Dining Over the Divide: An Meeting Among Different Viewpoints
Introducing the Individuals
First Participant: Peter, 34, London
Profession Former civil servant, currently a learner studying community health
Voting record Supported Green last time (and a member of the party); formerly Labour. Identifies as “progressive, and globalist rather than nationalist”
Interesting fact A sketch of a teacup Peter did as a child was once displayed in the National Gallery of Ireland
Other Participant: A., 43, Harrow
Occupation Risk analyst in the construction sector
Voting record Originally from India, Akshat has lived in the UK for half a decade, and voted the Conservative Party. Identifies as “somewhat right of centre”
Interesting fact He self-learned to understand Urdu. “I have no use for it, I was just fascinated”
Initial impressions
The first participant During the past two decades, I’ve lived and worked in the Middle East, East Asia, the United States. The topics Peter and I discussed are focused on Britain, but they are also global, because human life more or less follows the same curve across the world. I anticipated someone very liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we had a productive, logical conversation. I had a couple of beers, Peter had mojitos.
The second participant We split appetizers – fishy spring rolls, steamed buns, daikon cakes with beansprouts, which were superb. I was a little nervous, as I believe he was too. Was he going to attack me for being a snowflake? We each have immigrant backgrounds. My childhood was in Dublin; I have resided in the US and Spain. We connected through our affection for London.
The big beef
Akshat I look at migration similar to sprinkling salt to a dish. When you add a little bit, the dish tastes wonderful. Use too little or too much and the dish is either too bland or too salty.
The second participant He had a metaphor regarding seasoning. It would be odd to exist if the government was choosing some preferred demographic of the country.
The first participant There are, unfortunately, individuals fleeing persecution, but a lot of migrants arriving in the United Kingdom are economic migrants who may not add significant value and can burden the benefit system. No one compels you to move to a different nation for opportunity, so you ought to relocate if you can take care of yourself and your family.
The second participant We got lost with some of the facts. I don’t think it’s like you come over and work and then following a half-decade you obtain permanent citizenship. Nothing is automatic. It’s been a hostile environment for some time, application costs are quite expensive, there is an healthcare levy, access to benefits is restricted. The red carpet isn’t rolled out for anyone. And concerning the recent changes, under which family reunification is restricted, it is astonishing to state: we want your work, but we don’t want you. I believe we have to have a degree of compassion.
Common ground
Akshat Peter questions unregulated markets. So am I, but at the same time, economic growth helps communities and should be encouraged.
Peter We’re both internationalist. And we concurred that certain elements of society – politics, the press – benefit from stoking division. We did find common ground in basic principles and ethics.
Dessert and debate
Akshat Peter believes that because the UK benefitted from the colonial era, it ought to provide compensation to affected nations. I simply think: it is unfair to assess the past with present day morality; times are different, current society had no control of what happened decades or a century ago. Suppose the Britain had to compensate the Indian nation, it would be a significant sum of funds. Is the UK in a position to manage that? Certainly not.
The second participant In the past, I believe adequate reflection occurred with colonial history. As an instance, when I first moved to the United Kingdom, people weren’t aware of the Great Famine and the part that imperial rule played in it. My view is decolonization is not merely about signing a cheque, it should be about examining what went wrong and our current responsibilities.
Final thoughts
The first participant It won’t change the way I think, but I understand Peter’s concerns. I talk to people every day whose views are opposite to my own. The goal is uniting people to the common understanding, in order that all of us can work towards the improvement of society.
Peter We were there for two and a half hours. Akshat had dessert and I drank some sweet Japanese wine. I didn’t persuade him of any point, but we each liked dinner, so we could hopefully be more receptive to engaging in dialogues with other people in the coming times.