Dining Across the Gap: An Meeting Among Different Viewpoints
Introducing the Individuals
One Participant: Peter, 34, London
Profession Ex- civil servant, currently a student studying community health
Political history Supported the Green Party recently (and a affiliate of the party); previously Labour. Describes himself as “progressive, and globalist rather than patriotic”
Interesting fact A drawing of a tea cup Peter did as a child was once hung in the Irish National Gallery
Second Diner: Akshat, 43, from Harrow
Occupation Risk manager in the infrastructure industry
Voting record Originally from the Indian subcontinent, Akshat has lived in the United Kingdom for half a decade, and voted the Conservative Party. Describes himself as “somewhat right of centre”
Interesting fact He self-learned to understand Urdu. “I have no use for it, I simply found it intriguing”
For starters
The first participant During the past 20 years, I’ve lived and worked in Qatar, South Korea, the United States. The topics Peter and I talked about are focused on Britain, but they are also global, because people's lives largely follows the same curve across the world. I anticipated a staunch liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we engaged in a good, rational discussion. I had a couple of beers, Peter had mojitos.
Peter We shared starters – seafood rolls, steamed buns, daikon cakes with beansprouts, which were superb. I felt somewhat anxious, as I believe he was too. Would he criticize me for my sensitivity? We’re both immigrants. I grew up in Dublin; I’ve lived in the US and the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our affection for the capital.
The big beef
Akshat I view immigration like sprinkling salt to a dish. When you add a little bit, the dish tastes wonderful. Use too little or too much and the meal is insipid or overly seasoned.
The second participant He used an analogy regarding seasoning. It would be a funny place to exist if the state was selecting some ideal ethnic makeup of the country.
The first participant There are, unfortunately, individuals escaping oppression, but a lot of migrants arriving in the United Kingdom are economic migrants who do not necessarily 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 yourself and your relatives.
The second participant We became confused with some of the facts. In my view it’s like you arrive and work and then after five years you obtain permanent citizenship. Nothing is automatic. It’s been a hostile environment since Theresa May, visa fees are really high, there is an NHS surcharge, access to benefits is restricted. There is no special treatment for anyone. And regarding the new policies, under which you can’t bring your family over, it’s incredible to say: we desire your labor, but we reject you as a person. I believe we must maintain a certain level of compassion.
Sharing plate
The first participant Peter’s sceptical of unchecked capitalism. I am, too, but simultaneously, economic growth benefits society and should be encouraged.
Peter We each have global outlooks. And we agreed that certain elements of society – government, the media – thrive off creating conflict. We did find shared understanding in basic principles and ethics.
Dessert and debate
The first participant Peter is of the opinion that because the United Kingdom profited from the colonial era, it ought to provide reparations to those countries. My view is simply: it is unfair to assess history with present day morality; eras vary, modern people were not responsible of events 50 or 100 years ago. Suppose the UK had to compensate the Indian nation, it would be a significant sum of money. Is Britain able to do that? No.
The second participant In the past, I believe there was much reckoning with the colonial past. For example, when I first moved to the UK, people weren’t aware of the Irish famine and the role that imperial rule played in it. I hold that decolonisation isn’t just about issuing payments, it should be about looking at what went wrong and our current responsibilities.
Takeaways
The first participant It may not alter the my perspective, but I appreciate Peter’s concerns. I converse with people regularly whose views are contrary to mine. The goal is uniting people to the same page, in order that everyone can strive for the betterment of society.
The second participant We were there for two and a half hours. Akshat had dessert and I drank some sweet Japanese wine. I did not convince him of any point, but we each liked the meal, so we could hopefully be more receptive to engaging in dialogues with others in the coming times.
