Dining Across the Gap: A Encounter Among Different Viewpoints
Introducing the Individuals
First Diner: Peter, 34, from London
Occupation Former civil servant, now a learner studying community health
Political history Supported Green recently (also a affiliate of the party); formerly Labour Party. Identifies as “progressive, and globalist rather than nationalist”
Interesting fact A sketch of a tea cup Peter did as a kid was once hung in the Irish National Gallery
Other Diner: A., 43, from Harrow
Occupation Risk manager in the infrastructure industry
Voting record Hailing from the Indian subcontinent, Akshat has lived in the United Kingdom for half a decade, and supported Conservative. Describes himself as “somewhat moderate right”
Interesting fact He self-learned to understand the Urdu language. “It has no practical use for me, I was just fascinated”
Initial impressions
The first participant During the past 20 years, I’ve lived and worked in the Middle East, East Asia, the US. The issues we discussed are focused on Britain, but they are also global, because human life largely evolve similarly across the world. I was expecting someone very liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we engaged in a good, rational discussion. I drank beer, Peter had mojitos.
The second participant We shared appetizers – seafood rolls, dumplings, daikon cakes with beansprouts, which were superb. I was a little nervous, as I believe Akshat was. Would he criticize me for being a snowflake? We’re both immigrants. I grew up in Dublin; I’ve lived in the US and the Iberian Peninsula. We bonded over our love of London.
Key disagreements
The first participant I view migration like sprinkling salt to a meal. When you add a little bit, the dish tastes wonderful. Add too little or too much and the dish is insipid or overly seasoned.
Peter Akshat used an analogy regarding salt. It would be a funny place to be if the government was choosing some ideal ethnic makeup of the country.
The first participant There are, sadly, people fleeing persecution, but a lot of migrants coming to the United Kingdom are economic migrants who do not necessarily contribute much and can burden the benefit system. No one compels you to move to a different nation for prospects, so you ought to relocate if you can take care of your own needs and your family.
Peter We got lost with some of the facts. I don’t think it is the case that you arrive and work and then following a half-decade you get permanent citizenship. No process is guaranteed. The climate has been unwelcoming for some time, visa fees are quite expensive, there is an NHS surcharge, access to benefits is restricted. There is no special treatment for anybody. And regarding the new policies, under which family reunification is restricted, it is astonishing to state: we desire your labor, but we reject you as a person. I believe we have to have a degree of compassion.
Common ground
Akshat Peter’s sceptical of unchecked capitalism. I am, too, but at the same time, economic growth helps communities and ought to be promoted.
The second participant We’re both internationalist. And we concurred that certain elements of society – politics, the media – thrive off creating conflict. We discovered shared understanding in basic principles and ethics.
For afters
Akshat Peter is of the opinion that since the UK benefitted from colonial times, it ought to provide compensation to those countries. My view is simply: you cannot judge history with present day morality; eras vary, modern people were not responsible of what happened 50 or 100 years ago. Let’s say the UK was obliged to repay India, it would be a huge amount of funds. Is Britain able to manage that? No.
Peter In the past, I believe there was much reckoning with the colonial past. For example, when I first moved to the United Kingdom, the public had little knowledge of the Irish famine and the part that imperial rule contributed to it. I hold that decolonization is not merely about signing a cheque, it ought to involve looking at what went wrong and where we should be now.
Takeaways
Akshat It won’t change the way I think, but I appreciate his worries. I converse with people regularly with opinions are contrary to mine. It’s about bringing everyone to the same page, in order that everyone can work towards the improvement of the community.
The second participant We remained for 150 minutes. Akshat had dessert and I had some sweet Japanese wine. I did not convince him of anything, but we each liked dinner, so we might become more open to having conversations with other people in future.
