Dining Over the Divide: A Encounter Among Different Perspectives
Introducing the Participants
One Participant: Peter, 34, from London
Profession Former government employee, currently a student focusing on community health
Political history Voted Green last time (and a member of the political group); previously Labour. Describes himself as “progressive, and globalist rather than nationalist”
Interesting fact A sketch of a tea cup Peter created as a kid was once hung in the Irish National Gallery
Other Diner: Akshat, 43, from Harrow
Occupation Risk manager in the construction sector
Political history Hailing from the Indian subcontinent, Akshat has resided in the United Kingdom for five years, and supported Conservative. Describes himself as “slightly right of centre”
Interesting fact He self-learned to read and write Urdu. “It has no practical use for me, I simply found it intriguing”
For starters
Akshat Over the last two decades, I’ve lived and worked in the Middle East, East Asia, the US. The topics we discussed are focused on Britain, but they are also global, because people's lives largely evolve similarly across the world. I anticipated someone very liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we had a good, rational discussion. I drank beer, he opted for mojitos.
Peter We shared starters – seafood rolls, dumplings, daikon cakes with beansprouts, which were excellent. I was a little nervous, as I believe Akshat was. Was he going to attack 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 migration similar to sprinkling salt to a dish. With a small amount, the food is delicious. Add too little or too much and the dish is insipid or overly seasoned.
Peter He used an analogy about salt. It would be odd to exist if the government was choosing some ideal ethnic makeup of the country.
The first participant There are, unfortunately, individuals escaping oppression, but many migrants arriving in the United Kingdom are economic migrants who may not add significant value and can burden the welfare system. Nobody forces you to go to a new country for prospects, so you ought to relocate if you can take care of yourself and your family.
The second participant We became confused with some of the facts. I don’t think it is the case that you come over and are employed and then following a half-decade you get permanent citizenship. No process is guaranteed. The climate has been unwelcoming since Theresa May, application costs are quite expensive, there is an healthcare levy, access to benefits is restricted. There is no special treatment for anyone. And regarding the recent changes, whereby you can’t bring your family over, it is astonishing to state: we want your work, but we reject you as a person. I believe we have to have a certain level of compassion.
Sharing plate
Akshat Peter questions unchecked capitalism. So am I, but at the same time, wealth creation helps communities and should be encouraged.
Peter We each have global outlooks. And we agreed that some parts of society – government, the media – benefit from stoking division. We did find shared understanding in fundamentals and values.
Dessert and debate
The first participant Peter is of the opinion that because the UK profited from colonial times, it ought to provide reparations to those countries. I simply think: it is unfair to assess the past with present day morality; eras vary, modern people had no control of events 50 or 100 years ago. Suppose the Britain was obliged to repay India, it would be a significant sum of funds. Is Britain able to manage that? No.
The second participant In the past, I believe there was much reckoning with the colonial past. As an instance, upon my arrival to the United Kingdom, people had little knowledge of the Irish famine and the part that colonialism played in it. I hold that decolonisation isn’t just about issuing payments, it should be about examining what went wrong and our current responsibilities.
Takeaways
The first participant It won’t change the my perspective, but I appreciate Peter’s concerns. I converse with people regularly with opinions are contrary to my own. It’s about uniting people to the same page, in order that all of us can work towards the betterment of the community.
Peter We remained for two and a half hours. Akshat had dessert and I had some sweet Japanese wine. I didn’t persuade him of anything, but we both enjoyed the meal, so we might become more open to having conversations with other people in future.
