Conversing Across the Divide: A Encounter Among Different Perspectives
Meeting the Individuals
One Diner: Peter, 34, London
Occupation Former government employee, currently a learner studying community health
Political history Voted the Green Party last time (and a affiliate of the party); formerly Labour. Identifies as “left, and globalist rather than patriotic”
Interesting fact A drawing of a teacup Peter did as a child was once displayed in the National Gallery of Ireland
Other Diner: Akshat, 43, Harrow
Occupation Risk analyst in the infrastructure industry
Political history Originally from the Indian subcontinent, he has resided in the UK for half a decade, and supported the Conservative Party. Identifies as “somewhat right of centre”
Amuse bouche He self-learned to read and write Urdu. “I have no use for it, I was just fascinated”
For starters
The first participant Over the last 20 years, I have resided and been employed in the Middle East, East Asia, the United States. The topics we talked about are UK-centric, but they are also global, because people's lives more or less evolve similarly across the world. I was expecting someone very liberal, but he was quite measured – we had a productive, logical conversation. I had a couple of beers, he opted for mojitos.
The second participant We split starters – fishy spring rolls, dumplings, daikon cakes with beansprouts, which were superb. I felt somewhat anxious, as I believe he was too. Was he going to attack me for being a snowflake? We each have immigrant backgrounds. I grew up in Dublin; I have resided in the US and the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our love of London.
The big beef
The first participant I view immigration like adding salt to a meal. With a small amount, the food tastes wonderful. Add too little or too much and the meal is either too bland or too salty.
Peter He had a metaphor regarding salt. It would be odd to be if the state was selecting some preferred demographic of the country.
Akshat There are, sadly, people fleeing persecution, but many people arriving in the United Kingdom are those seeking better finances who may not add significant value and can weigh on the welfare system. Nobody forces you to move to a different nation for opportunity, so you ought to relocate if you are able to support yourself and your relatives.
Peter We got lost with certain details. I don’t think it’s like you come over and are employed and then following a half-decade you get indefinite leave to remain. Nothing is automatic. The climate has been unwelcoming for some time, application costs are quite expensive, there is an NHS surcharge, access to benefits is restricted. There is no special treatment for anyone. 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 think we have to have a degree of humanity.
Sharing plate
The first participant Peter’s sceptical of 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 some parts of society – government, the media – thrive off stoking division. We discovered common ground in basic principles and ethics.
Dessert and debate
Akshat Peter believes that because the United Kingdom benefitted from colonial times, 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. Suppose the UK was obliged to repay India, it would be a significant sum of money. Is Britain able to manage that? No.
Peter In the past, I believe there was much reckoning with the colonial past. As an instance, when I first moved to the United Kingdom, the public had little knowledge of the Irish famine and the role that imperial rule contributed to it. I hold that decolonisation is not merely about signing a cheque, it ought to involve examining what went wrong and where we should be now.
Final thoughts
The first participant It won’t change the way I think, but I appreciate his worries. I converse with people every day with opinions are opposite to my own. It’s about bringing everyone to the same page, in order that everyone can work towards the betterment of the community.
Peter We were there for two and a half hours. He enjoyed a sweet treat and I had a Japanese dessert wine. I didn’t persuade him of any point, but we both enjoyed dinner, so we could hopefully be more open to engaging in dialogues with other people in the coming times.
