Conversing Over the Divide: An Meeting Among Opposing Viewpoints
Introducing the Participants
First Participant: Peter, 34, from London
Profession Ex- government employee, currently a student studying community health
Political history Supported Green recently (also a affiliate of the party); formerly Labour Party. Identifies as âleft, and globalist instead of nationalistâ
Amuse bouche A drawing of a teacup he created as a child was once displayed in the Irish National Gallery
Other Diner: Akshat, 43, from Harrow
Profession Risk manager in the infrastructure industry
Political history Hailing from India, Akshat has resided in the United Kingdom for half a decade, and voted the Conservative Party. Identifies as âslightly right of centreâ
Amuse bouche He self-learned to understand Urdu. âI have no use for it, I simply found it intriguingâ
For starters
The first participant Over the last two decades, Iâve lived and worked in Qatar, East Asia, the US. The topics we talked about are UK-centric, but they are also global, because people's lives largely evolve similarly across the world. I anticipated someone very liberal, but Peter wasnât all gung ho â we engaged in a good, rational discussion. I drank beer, he opted for mojitos.
Peter We split appetizers â seafood rolls, steamed buns, daikon cakes with beansprouts, which were excellent. I was a little nervous, as I think he was too. Would he criticize me for being a snowflake? Weâre both immigrants. I grew up in Dublin; I have resided in the United States and the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our love of London.
The big beef
Akshat I view migration like sprinkling salt to a meal. With a small amount, the dish is delicious. Add too little or too much and the meal is either too bland or too salty.
The second participant He had a metaphor regarding salt. It would be a funny place to exist if the state was selecting some ideal ethnic makeup of the nation.
Akshat There are, unfortunately, individuals fleeing persecution, but many migrants coming to the United Kingdom are economic migrants who do not necessarily add significant value and can weigh on the welfare system. Nobody forces you to move to a different nation for opportunity, so you should only go if you can take care of your own needs and your family.
Peter We got lost with certain details. In my view itâs like you arrive and work and then following a half-decade you obtain indefinite leave to remain. No process is guaranteed. The climate has been unwelcoming for some time, application costs are quite expensive, you pay an healthcare levy, eligibility for support is restricted. The red carpet isnât rolled out for anybody. And concerning the new policies, whereby family reunification is restricted, it is astonishing to state: we desire your labor, but we donât want you. I believe we have to have a certain level of compassion.
Common ground
The first participant Peterâs sceptical of unregulated markets. I am, too, but simultaneously, economic growth benefits society and ought to be promoted.
The second participant Weâre both internationalist. And we concurred that some parts of the community â government, the media â thrive off stoking division. We discovered shared understanding in fundamentals and values.
For afters
Akshat Peter is of the opinion that because the United Kingdom benefitted from colonial times, it should pay reparations to those countries. My view is simply: it is unfair to assess the past with present day morality; eras vary, current society had no control of what happened decades or a century ago. Suppose the Britain had to compensate the Indian nation, it would be a significant sum of funds. Is the UK in a position to manage that? No.
The second participant Until recently, I donât think adequate reflection occurred with the colonial past. For example, upon my arrival to the United Kingdom, people had little knowledge of the Irish famine and the part that imperial rule contributed to it. I hold that decolonization is not merely about signing a cheque, it ought to involve looking at past errors and where we should be now.
Final thoughts
Akshat It wonât change the my perspective, but I appreciate Peterâs concerns. I converse with individuals regularly whose views are contrary to mine. The goal is uniting people to the same page, so that all of us can work towards the improvement of society.
The second participant 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 the meal, so we could hopefully be more receptive to having conversations with others in future.
