Dining Across the Gap: A Meeting Between Different Viewpoints
Meeting the Individuals
One Diner: P., 34, from London
Occupation Former civil servant, now a student studying public health
Voting record Supported the Green Party last time (and a member of the party); formerly Labour. Identifies as “progressive, and globalist instead of patriotic”
Interesting fact A drawing of a tea cup he created as a kid was once displayed in the Irish National Gallery
Second Diner: Akshat, 43, Harrow
Occupation Risk analyst in the infrastructure industry
Voting record Originally from India, he has lived in the United Kingdom for half a decade, and supported the Conservative Party. Describes himself as “slightly moderate right”
Amuse bouche He self-learned to understand the Urdu language. “It has no practical use for me, I simply found it intriguing”
For starters
The first participant During the past 20 years, I’ve lived and worked in the Middle East, South Korea, the US. The topics we talked about are UK-centric, but they are also universal, because people's lives more or less evolve similarly across the world. I was expecting a staunch liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we engaged in a productive, logical conversation. I drank beer, Peter had mojitos.
Peter We shared appetizers – fishy spring rolls, dumplings, daikon cakes with beansprouts, which were superb. 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 US and the Iberian Peninsula. We bonded over our love of London.
The big beef
Akshat I view immigration similar to sprinkling salt to a dish. With a small amount, the dish tastes wonderful. Add too little or too much and the meal is insipid or overly seasoned.
The second participant He used an analogy about seasoning. It would be odd to be if the state was selecting some ideal ethnic makeup of the nation.
Akshat There are, unfortunately, individuals fleeing persecution, but many people coming to the UK are economic migrants who may not contribute much and can weigh on the benefit system. Nobody forces you to go to a new country for opportunity, so you ought to relocate if you are able to support yourself and your relatives.
Peter We became confused with certain details. I don’t think it is the case that you come over and work and then following a half-decade you get permanent citizenship. Nothing is automatic. It’s been a hostile environment for some time, application costs are quite expensive, you pay an healthcare levy, access to benefits is limited. There is no special treatment for anyone. And concerning the new policies, under which you can’t bring your family over, it’s incredible to say: we want your work, but we reject you as a person. I think we have to have a degree of humanity.
Common ground
Akshat Peter questions unregulated markets. So am I, 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 the community – politics, the media – benefit from creating conflict. We discovered common ground in basic principles and ethics.
Dessert and debate
Akshat Peter is of the opinion that because the United Kingdom profited from colonial times, it should pay compensation to affected nations. My view is simply: you cannot judge history with present day morality; eras vary, modern people were not responsible of what happened 50 or 100 years ago. Let’s say the UK was obliged to repay India, it would be a significant sum of money. Is the UK in a position to do that? No.
Peter Until recently, I don’t think adequate reflection occurred with colonial history. As an instance, upon my arrival to the UK, the public had little knowledge of the Great Famine and the part that imperial rule played in it. I hold that decolonisation isn’t just about issuing payments, it ought to involve looking at what went wrong and where we should be now.
Takeaways
Akshat It may not alter the my perspective, but I understand Peter’s concerns. I talk to people regularly with opinions are contrary to my own. It’s about uniting people to the common understanding, in order that everyone can strive for the improvement of the community.
Peter We remained for 150 minutes. He enjoyed a sweet treat and I had some sweet Japanese wine. I did not convince him of any point, but we each liked dinner, so we could hopefully be more receptive to engaging in dialogues with other people in the coming times.
