Conversing Across the Divide: An Meeting Among Different Viewpoints
Introducing the Participants
First Participant: Peter, 34, London
Occupation Ex- government employee, currently a learner focusing on public health
Political history Voted the Green Party last time (also a affiliate of the party); formerly Labour. Identifies as “left, and internationalist rather than nationalist”
Interesting fact A sketch of a tea cup he did as a child was once displayed in the Irish National Gallery
Second Participant: Akshat, 43, Harrow
Occupation Risk manager in the infrastructure industry
Voting record Hailing from the Indian subcontinent, he has lived in the UK for five years, and supported the Conservative Party. Describes himself as “somewhat right of centre”
Amuse bouche He self-learned to read and write the Urdu language. “It has no practical use for me, I was just fascinated”
Initial impressions
Akshat During the past 20 years, I’ve lived and worked in the Middle East, South Korea, the United States. The issues 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 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 starters – fishy spring rolls, dumplings, radish cakes with sprouts, which were excellent. I felt somewhat anxious, as I believe Akshat was. Was he going to attack me for being a snowflake? We each have immigrant backgrounds. My childhood was in Dublin; I’ve lived in the United States and Spain. We connected through our affection for the capital.
The big beef
Akshat I look at immigration like adding salt to a dish. When you add a little bit, the dish tastes wonderful. Use too little or too much and the meal is insipid or overly seasoned.
The second participant He used an analogy regarding salt. It would be a funny place to exist if the state was choosing some preferred demographic of the nation.
The first participant There are, unfortunately, individuals escaping oppression, but a lot of people coming to the United Kingdom are economic migrants who do not necessarily add significant value 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 your own needs and your family.
The second participant We got lost with some of the facts. In my view it is the case that you come over and are employed and then following a half-decade you obtain indefinite leave to remain. No process is guaranteed. It’s been a hostile environment 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 concerning the recent changes, whereby family reunification is restricted, it is astonishing to state: we want your work, but we reject you as a person. I think we must maintain a degree of compassion.
Sharing plate
The first participant Peter questions unchecked capitalism. I am, too, but simultaneously, wealth creation helps communities and should be encouraged.
Peter We’re both internationalist. And we concurred that some parts of the community – politics, the media – benefit from creating conflict. We did find shared understanding in fundamentals and ethics.
For afters
The first participant Peter is of the opinion that because the UK profited from colonial times, it should pay reparations to affected nations. I simply think: it is unfair to assess the past with contemporary ethics; eras vary, modern people had no control of what happened decades or a century ago. Let’s say the UK had to compensate India, it would be a huge amount of funds. Is Britain able to do that? No.
The second participant In the past, I believe there was much reckoning with colonial history. As an instance, when I first moved to the UK, people weren’t aware of the Irish famine and the part that colonialism played in it. I hold that decolonization is not merely about issuing payments, it should be about examining what went wrong and where we should be now.
Final thoughts
Akshat It may not alter the my perspective, but I understand Peter’s concerns. I talk to individuals regularly whose views are contrary to mine. The goal is bringing everyone to the same page, so that everyone can strive for the betterment of society.
The second participant We remained for two and a half hours. Akshat had dessert and I drank some sweet Japanese wine. I did not convince him of any point, but we each liked the meal, so we could hopefully be more open to engaging in dialogues with others in the coming times.
