Conversing Over the Gap: A Meeting Between Different Perspectives
Introducing the Individuals
One Participant: P., 34, from London
Occupation Former government employee, currently a student focusing on public health
Political history Supported the Green Party recently (also a member of the party); previously Labour Party. Describes himself as “progressive, and internationalist rather than nationalist”
Amuse bouche A drawing of a tea cup Peter created as a kid was once displayed in the Irish National Gallery
Other Participant: A., 43, from Harrow
Occupation Risk manager in the construction sector
Political history Originally from India, he has lived in the UK for half a decade, and supported Conservative. Describes himself as “slightly right of centre”
Amuse bouche He taught himself to understand the Urdu language. “I have no use for it, I simply found it intriguing”
Initial impressions
Akshat Over the last two decades, I have resided and been employed in the Middle East, South Korea, the United States. The topics Peter and I discussed are UK-centric, but they are also universal, because human life largely evolve similarly across the world. I was expecting a staunch liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we had a good, rational discussion. I had a couple of beers, he opted for mojitos.
The second participant We split appetizers – fishy spring rolls, dumplings, daikon cakes with beansprouts, which were excellent. I was a little nervous, as I think he was too. Was he going to attack me for being a snowflake? We each have immigrant backgrounds. My childhood was in Dublin; I have resided in the United States and the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our affection for the capital.
Key disagreements
Akshat I view migration similar to adding salt to a meal. With a small amount, the food is delicious. Use too little or too much and the dish is insipid or overly seasoned.
Peter Akshat had a metaphor about seasoning. It would be a funny place to be if the government was selecting some ideal ethnic makeup of the nation.
Akshat There are, unfortunately, people fleeing persecution, but a lot of migrants arriving in the UK are those seeking better finances who may not add significant value and can weigh on the benefit system. No one compels you to go to a different nation for prospects, so you should only go if you can take care of yourself and your relatives.
The second participant We got lost with certain details. I don’t think it is the case that you arrive and are employed and then following a half-decade you get indefinite leave to remain. Nothing is automatic. The climate has been unwelcoming for some time, visa fees are quite expensive, you pay an NHS surcharge, access to benefits is restricted. The red carpet isn’t rolled out for anybody. And regarding the new policies, whereby family reunification is restricted, it is astonishing to state: we want your work, but we reject you as a person. I believe we must maintain a degree of humanity.
Sharing plate
The first participant Peter’s sceptical of unchecked capitalism. So am I, but at the same time, wealth creation benefits society and ought to be promoted.
Peter We’re both internationalist. And we concurred that some parts of the community – politics, the press – benefit from creating conflict. We discovered shared understanding in fundamentals and ethics.
Dessert and debate
The first participant Peter is of the opinion that because the United Kingdom profited from the colonial era, it ought to provide reparations to affected nations. My view is simply: it is unfair to assess history with contemporary ethics; eras vary, modern people were not responsible of events 50 or 100 years ago. Let’s say the UK was obliged to repay India, it would be a significant sum of funds. Is the UK in a position to manage that? Certainly not.
The second participant Until recently, I believe adequate reflection occurred with colonial history. As an instance, when I first moved to the UK, people weren’t aware of the Great Famine and the role that colonialism played in it. I hold that decolonization isn’t just about issuing payments, it should be about looking at what went wrong and our current responsibilities.
Takeaways
Akshat It may not alter the way I think, but I appreciate Peter’s concerns. I converse with individuals every day with opinions are opposite to mine. The goal is uniting people to the common understanding, in order that all of us can work towards the improvement of society.
Peter We were there for two and a half hours. Akshat had dessert and I had a Japanese dessert wine. I didn’t persuade him of anything, but we both enjoyed dinner, so we could hopefully be more receptive to engaging in dialogues with others in future.
