Dining Over the Gap: A Meeting Among Opposing Viewpoints
Introducing the Individuals
One Diner: Peter, 34, from London
Occupation Ex- civil servant, now a learner focusing on community health
Political history Voted the Green Party recently (also a affiliate of the political group); formerly Labour Party. Identifies as “left, and globalist instead of patriotic”
Amuse bouche A drawing of a tea cup Peter did as a kid was once hung in the Irish National Gallery
Other Participant: A., 43, from Harrow
Occupation Risk analyst in the infrastructure industry
Political history Originally from India, Akshat has lived in the United Kingdom for five years, and voted the Conservative Party. Describes himself as “slightly right of centre”
Amuse bouche He self-learned to read and write the Urdu language. “I have no use for it, I was just fascinated”
Initial impressions
Akshat During the past 20 years, I have resided and been employed in Qatar, South Korea, the United States. The topics Peter and I discussed are focused on Britain, but they are also global, because people's lives largely follows the same curve across the world. I was expecting a staunch 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, radish cakes with sprouts, which were superb. I felt somewhat anxious, as I believe Akshat was. Was he going to attack me for being a snowflake? We’re both immigrants. My childhood was in Dublin; I have resided in the United States and the Iberian Peninsula. We bonded over our love of the capital.
Key disagreements
The first participant I look at migration similar to sprinkling salt to a dish. With a small amount, the dish is delicious. Add too little or too much and the dish is insipid or overly seasoned.
The second participant Akshat used an analogy regarding salt. It would be a funny place to exist if the government was choosing some ideal ethnic makeup of the country.
The first participant There are, unfortunately, people fleeing persecution, but a lot of migrants arriving in the UK are economic migrants who may not contribute much and can weigh on the benefit system. Nobody forces 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 relatives.
The second participant We became confused with some of the facts. 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 for some time, application costs are quite expensive, there is an NHS surcharge, access to benefits is restricted. The red carpet isn’t rolled out for anyone. And concerning the new policies, under which family reunification is restricted, it is astonishing to state: we want your work, but we reject you as a person. I believe we have to have a degree of compassion.
Sharing plate
Akshat Peter’s sceptical of unregulated markets. So am I, but simultaneously, economic growth benefits society and ought to be promoted.
The second participant We’re both internationalist. And we agreed that some parts of society – politics, the press – thrive off creating conflict. We discovered common ground in fundamentals and values.
Dessert and debate
The first participant Peter is of the opinion that since the UK profited from colonial times, it should pay reparations to those countries. I simply think: you cannot judge history with present day morality; eras vary, current society had no control of events decades or a century ago. Suppose the UK was obliged to repay the Indian nation, it would be a huge amount of funds. Is the UK in a position to manage that? No.
The second participant In the past, I believe there was much reckoning with colonial history. As an instance, when I first moved to the UK, the public had little knowledge of the Great Famine and the part that imperial rule contributed to it. My view is decolonisation is not merely about signing a cheque, it should be about 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 understand his worries. I talk to individuals regularly with opinions are opposite to my own. The goal is bringing everyone to the common understanding, in order that everyone can strive for the betterment of society.
Peter We were there for 150 minutes. Akshat had dessert and I drank a Japanese dessert wine. I didn’t persuade him of any point, but we both enjoyed dinner, so we might become more receptive to having conversations with other people in future.
