Dining Across the Divide: An Meeting Between Different Viewpoints
Meeting the Individuals
One Diner: P., 34, from London
Occupation Former government employee, now a student focusing on public health
Voting record Voted the Green Party recently (and a affiliate of the party); previously Labour Party. Identifies as “left, and internationalist rather than nationalist”
Amuse bouche A drawing of a tea cup Peter created as a kid was once hung in the Irish National Gallery
Other Participant: Akshat, 43, from Harrow
Occupation Risk manager in the construction sector
Political history Originally from the Indian subcontinent, Akshat has lived in the United Kingdom for half a decade, and supported Conservative. Describes himself as “slightly right of centre”
Interesting fact Akshat self-learned to understand the Urdu language. “It has no practical use for me, I simply found it intriguing”
For starters
Akshat During the past 20 years, I’ve lived and worked in Qatar, East Asia, the US. The topics Peter and I discussed are focused on Britain, but they are also global, because people's lives more or less follows the same curve 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 split starters – fishy spring rolls, dumplings, daikon cakes with beansprouts, which were excellent. I felt somewhat anxious, as I believe he was too. Would he criticize me for being a snowflake? We each have immigrant backgrounds. I grew up in Dublin; I have resided in the United States and Spain. We bonded over our love of the capital.
The big beef
Akshat I look at immigration similar to adding salt to a dish. With a small amount, the dish is delicious. Use too little or too much and the dish is insipid or overly seasoned.
Peter Akshat had a metaphor regarding salt. It would be a funny place to exist if the state was selecting some preferred demographic of the nation.
Akshat There are, sadly, people escaping oppression, but a lot of migrants arriving in the UK are those seeking better finances who do not necessarily contribute much and can burden the benefit system. Nobody forces you to go to a new country for opportunity, so you should only go if you can take care of your own needs and your relatives.
The second participant We got lost with some of the facts. I don’t think it is the case that you come over and work and then after five years you obtain permanent citizenship. No process is guaranteed. The climate has been unwelcoming for some time, application costs are really high, you pay an healthcare levy, access to benefits is limited. The red carpet isn’t rolled out for anybody. And regarding the new policies, under which you can’t bring your family over, it is astonishing to state: we desire your labor, but we don’t want you. I believe we must maintain a degree of compassion.
Sharing plate
The first participant Peter questions unchecked capitalism. I am, too, but at the same time, economic growth helps communities and ought to be promoted.
Peter We’re both internationalist. And we concurred that certain elements of the community – politics, the press – benefit from creating conflict. We discovered shared understanding in basic principles and ethics.
For afters
The first participant Peter believes that because the UK profited from colonial times, it should pay compensation to those countries. My view is simply: you cannot judge the past with present day morality; times are different, current society were not responsible of what happened decades or a century ago. Suppose the UK had to compensate India, it would be a huge amount 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. As an instance, when I first moved to the United Kingdom, people had little knowledge of the Irish famine and the part that colonialism played in it. I hold that decolonization is not merely about issuing payments, it ought to involve looking at past errors and our current responsibilities.
Final thoughts
The first participant It may not alter the my perspective, but I understand his worries. I converse with people every day with opinions are contrary to mine. It’s about bringing everyone to the same page, in order that all of us can strive for the betterment of the community.
Peter We remained for 150 minutes. Akshat had dessert and I had a Japanese dessert wine. I didn’t persuade him of any point, but we each liked the meal, so we could hopefully be more open to having conversations with other people in future.
