Conversing Across the Divide: An Meeting Among Different Perspectives
Introducing the Participants
One Participant: Peter, 34, from London
Occupation Former government employee, currently a student focusing on public health
Voting record Supported Green recently (and a affiliate of the party); previously Labour. Describes himself as “progressive, and internationalist instead of nationalist”
Interesting fact A sketch of a tea cup Peter created as a kid was once hung in the Irish National Gallery
Second Diner: Akshat, 43, Harrow
Occupation Risk analyst in the infrastructure industry
Voting record Hailing from India, he has lived in the United Kingdom for half a decade, and voted Conservative. Identifies as “somewhat moderate right”
Amuse bouche Akshat self-learned to understand the Urdu language. “It has no practical use for me, I was just fascinated”
For starters
The first participant During the past two decades, I’ve lived and worked in Qatar, South Korea, the US. The topics we talked about are focused on Britain, but they are also universal, because people's lives more or less evolve similarly wherever it is. I was expecting someone very liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we had a good, rational discussion. I drank beer, Peter had mojitos.
The second participant We shared starters – fishy spring rolls, steamed buns, daikon cakes with beansprouts, which were superb. I felt somewhat anxious, as I think Akshat was. Would he criticize me for my sensitivity? We each have immigrant backgrounds. I grew up in Dublin; I have resided in the US and the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our affection for London.
The big beef
Akshat I view immigration similar to adding salt to a meal. With a small amount, the food is delicious. Add too little or too much and the meal is insipid or overly seasoned.
Peter He had a metaphor regarding salt. It would be odd to be if the government was selecting some preferred demographic of the country.
Akshat There are, sadly, individuals escaping oppression, but a lot of migrants coming to 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 relatives.
Peter We got lost with some of the facts. In my view it’s like you come over and work and then after five years you get permanent citizenship. No process is guaranteed. It’s been a hostile environment since Theresa May, 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 recent changes, under which family reunification is restricted, it is astonishing to state: we want your work, but we don’t want you. I think we have to have a degree of compassion.
Sharing plate
Akshat Peter questions unchecked capitalism. So am I, but simultaneously, economic growth helps communities and should be encouraged.
Peter We each have global outlooks. And we concurred that certain elements of society – politics, the media – thrive off creating conflict. We discovered common ground in fundamentals and ethics.
Dessert and debate
Akshat Peter believes that since the UK profited from the colonial era, it should pay reparations to affected nations. I simply think: it is unfair to assess history with present day morality; times are different, current society had no control of events decades or a century ago. Let’s say the UK was obliged to repay the Indian nation, it would be a significant sum of money. Is the UK in a position to do that? Certainly not.
Peter Until recently, I believe there was much reckoning with the colonial past. For example, when I first moved to the United Kingdom, people weren’t aware of the Great Famine and the part that colonialism contributed to it. I hold that decolonisation is not merely about issuing payments, it ought to involve examining what went wrong and our current responsibilities.
Takeaways
The first participant It won’t change the my perspective, but I appreciate his worries. I talk to individuals every day with opinions are opposite to mine. It’s about uniting people to the same page, so that all of us can work towards the improvement of the community.
The second participant We remained for 150 minutes. Akshat had dessert and I drank some sweet Japanese wine. I did not convince him of any point, but we both enjoyed dinner, so we might become more open to engaging in dialogues with others in future.
