Dining Across the Divide: A Meeting Between Different Viewpoints

Meeting the Participants

One Participant: Peter, 34, London

Occupation Former government employee, now a student studying public health

Voting record Supported Green last time (and a affiliate of the political group); previously Labour Party. Describes himself as “progressive, and globalist instead of patriotic”

Interesting fact A sketch of a teacup he created as a kid was once displayed in the Irish National Gallery

Other Participant: A., 43, Harrow

Profession Risk manager in the infrastructure industry

Political history Hailing from the Indian subcontinent, Akshat has lived in the UK for five years, and voted the Conservative Party. Describes himself as “slightly right of centre”

Interesting fact Akshat self-learned to read and write Urdu. “It has no practical use for me, I simply found it intriguing”

Initial impressions

The first participant Over the last 20 years, I’ve lived and worked in Qatar, East Asia, the United States. The topics we discussed are focused on Britain, but they are also universal, because human life more or less evolve similarly wherever it is. I was expecting a staunch liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we had a good, rational discussion. I had a couple of beers, Peter had mojitos.

Peter We split starters – fishy spring rolls, dumplings, daikon cakes with beansprouts, which were excellent. I felt somewhat anxious, as I believe he was too. Would he criticize me for being a snowflake? We’re both immigrants. I grew up in Dublin; I have resided in the United States and the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our affection for the capital.

The big beef

Akshat I look at immigration similar to adding salt to a dish. With a small amount, the dish is delicious. Use too little or too much and the meal is insipid or overly seasoned.

Peter He had a metaphor regarding salt. It would be odd to be if the state was selecting some preferred demographic of the nation.

Akshat There are, sadly, individuals escaping oppression, but many people arriving in the UK are economic migrants who may not add significant value and can burden the welfare system. Nobody forces you to move to a different nation for opportunity, so you should only go if you are able to support your own needs and your relatives.

The second participant We got lost with certain details. I don’t think it’s like you come over and work and then after five years you obtain indefinite leave to remain. No process is guaranteed. The climate has been unwelcoming since Theresa May, visa fees are really high, there is an healthcare levy, eligibility for support is limited. The red carpet isn’t rolled out for anybody. And regarding the new policies, whereby you can’t bring your family over, it’s incredible to say: we want your work, but we don’t want you. I believe we must maintain a degree of humanity.

Common ground

The first participant Peter questions unregulated markets. I am, too, but simultaneously, wealth creation helps communities and ought to be promoted.

The second participant We each have global outlooks. And we agreed that certain elements of the community – government, the media – benefit from creating conflict. We discovered shared understanding in fundamentals and values.

Dessert and debate

The first participant Peter believes that since the United Kingdom profited from colonial times, it should pay compensation to affected nations. My view is simply: it is unfair to assess the past with present day morality; times are different, current society were not responsible of what happened 50 or 100 years ago. Let’s say the Britain was obliged to repay India, it would be a significant sum of money. Is the UK in a position to manage that? No.

The second participant In the past, I don’t think adequate reflection occurred with the colonial past. For example, upon my arrival to the United Kingdom, people weren’t aware of the Irish famine and the part that colonialism contributed to it. My view is decolonization is not merely about issuing payments, it should be about examining 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 individuals regularly 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 betterment of society.

Peter We remained for 150 minutes. Akshat had dessert and I drank a Japanese dessert wine. I didn’t persuade him of anything, but we both enjoyed dinner, so we could hopefully be more open to engaging in dialogues with others in the coming times.