Dining Across the Divide: A Meeting Among Different Perspectives
Meeting the Individuals
First Diner: Peter, 34, from London
Occupation Former civil servant, currently a learner focusing on community health
Political history Supported the Green Party last time (also a member of the political group); formerly Labour Party. Describes himself as “left, and globalist rather than nationalist”
Amuse bouche A sketch of a teacup Peter created as a child was once hung in the Irish National Gallery
Other Participant: Akshat, 43, Harrow
Occupation Risk analyst in the infrastructure industry
Voting record Hailing from India, Akshat has lived in the UK for half a decade, and voted Conservative. Identifies as “slightly moderate right”
Interesting fact Akshat self-learned to understand the Urdu language. “I have no use for it, I was just fascinated”
Initial impressions
The first participant During the past 20 years, I’ve lived and worked in Qatar, East Asia, the United States. The issues we talked about are UK-centric, but they are also global, because human life more or less evolve similarly across the world. I was expecting a staunch liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we had a productive, logical conversation. I drank beer, he opted for mojitos.
The second participant We split appetizers – seafood rolls, steamed buns, daikon cakes with beansprouts, which were excellent. I felt somewhat anxious, as I think Akshat was. Was he going to attack me for being a snowflake? We each have immigrant backgrounds. I grew up in Dublin; I’ve lived in the US and the Iberian Peninsula. We bonded over our affection for London.
The big beef
Akshat I look at immigration like adding salt to a dish. When you add a little bit, the food tastes wonderful. Use too little or too much and the dish is insipid or overly seasoned.
The second participant Akshat had a metaphor regarding salt. It would be a funny place to exist if the state was choosing some ideal ethnic makeup of the country.
The first participant There are, sadly, people escaping oppression, but a lot of migrants arriving in the United Kingdom are those seeking better finances who may not add significant value and can burden the benefit system. Nobody forces you to go to a different nation for prospects, so you ought to relocate if you can take care of yourself and your family.
Peter We became confused with some of the facts. I don’t think it is the case that you arrive and work and then following a half-decade you get permanent citizenship. No process is guaranteed. It’s been a hostile environment for some time, application costs are really high, you pay an NHS surcharge, access to benefits is restricted. The red carpet isn’t rolled out for anyone. And regarding the new policies, under which family reunification is restricted, it’s incredible to say: we desire your labor, but we don’t want you. I believe we have to have a certain level of compassion.
Sharing plate
Akshat Peter’s sceptical of unregulated markets. I am, too, but simultaneously, wealth creation benefits society and ought to be promoted.
Peter We’re both internationalist. And we agreed that certain elements of society – politics, the media – benefit from stoking division. We did find common ground in fundamentals and values.
For afters
The first participant Peter believes that because the UK benefitted from colonial times, it ought to provide compensation to those countries. I simply think: it is unfair to assess the past with present day morality; times are different, modern people had no control of what happened 50 or 100 years ago. Let’s say the Britain was obliged to repay India, it would be a significant sum of funds. Is Britain able to manage that? Certainly not.
Peter Until recently, I don’t think there was much reckoning with the colonial past. As an instance, upon my arrival to the United Kingdom, the public weren’t aware of the Great Famine and the role that imperial rule contributed to it. I hold that decolonisation is not merely about issuing payments, it should be about looking at what went wrong and our current responsibilities.
Final thoughts
Akshat It may not alter the way I think, but I appreciate Peter’s concerns. I converse with individuals regularly whose views are contrary to my own. It’s about uniting people to the common understanding, in order that all of us can work towards the betterment of society.
Peter We were there for two and a half hours. Akshat had dessert and I drank a Japanese dessert wine. I didn’t persuade him of anything, but we each liked dinner, so we could hopefully be more receptive to engaging in dialogues with other people in future.
