🔗 Share this article Dining Over the Divide: An Encounter Between Different Perspectives Meeting the Individuals One Participant: Peter, 34, from London Profession Former civil servant, now a student studying public health Voting record Supported Green last time (also a member of the political group); formerly Labour Party. Describes himself as “left, and globalist instead of nationalist” Interesting fact A sketch of a tea cup he created as a kid was once displayed in the National Gallery of Ireland Second Diner: A., 43, Harrow Profession Risk analyst in the construction sector Voting record Originally from the Indian subcontinent, Akshat has lived in the UK for half a decade, and voted Conservative. Identifies as “slightly right of centre” Amuse bouche Akshat taught himself to understand Urdu. “It has no practical use for me, I was just fascinated” Initial impressions Akshat Over the last 20 years, I’ve lived and worked in the Middle East, East Asia, the US. The topics Peter and I talked about are UK-centric, but they are also global, because human life more or less follows the same curve wherever it is. I anticipated a staunch liberal, but he was quite measured – we engaged in a productive, logical conversation. I had a couple of beers, Peter had mojitos. Peter We shared appetizers – seafood rolls, steamed buns, radish cakes with sprouts, which were superb. I was a little nervous, as I think he was too. Would he criticize me for my sensitivity? We each have immigrant backgrounds. I grew up in Dublin; I’ve lived in the United States and the Iberian Peninsula. We bonded over our affection for London. Key disagreements Akshat I view migration like adding salt to a meal. With a small amount, the food is delicious. Use too little or too much and the dish is either too bland or too salty. Peter He used an analogy about salt. It would be a funny place to be if the state was selecting some ideal ethnic makeup of the nation. The first participant There are, unfortunately, people fleeing persecution, but many migrants arriving in the UK are those seeking better finances who may not contribute much and can burden the welfare system. No one compels you to move to a new country for prospects, so you should only go if you can take care of yourself and your relatives. Peter We got lost with certain details. I don’t think it is the case that 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 since Theresa May, application costs are quite expensive, you pay an NHS surcharge, eligibility for support is restricted. The red carpet isn’t rolled out for anybody. And regarding the recent changes, whereby you can’t bring your family over, 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. Common ground The first participant Peter questions unregulated markets. So am I, but at the same time, economic growth benefits society and should be encouraged. Peter We’re both internationalist. And we agreed that certain elements of society – government, the press – benefit from stoking division. We did find common ground in basic principles and values. Dessert and debate The first participant Peter believes that because the United Kingdom benefitted from the colonial era, it ought to provide compensation to those countries. I simply think: you cannot judge the past with present day morality; times are different, modern people were not responsible of what happened 50 or 100 years ago. Let’s say the Britain was obliged to repay the Indian nation, it would be a huge amount of funds. Is the UK in a position to do that? No. Peter In the past, I don’t think adequate reflection occurred with the colonial past. As an instance, when I first moved to the United Kingdom, the public weren’t aware of the Irish famine and the part that colonialism played in it. My view is decolonization isn’t just about signing a cheque, it ought to involve examining what went wrong and our current responsibilities. Final thoughts Akshat It won’t change the my perspective, but I understand Peter’s concerns. I talk to people regularly whose views are contrary to mine. The goal is uniting people to the same page, so that everyone can strive for the betterment of the community. The second participant We were there for 150 minutes. Akshat had dessert and I drank some sweet Japanese wine. I did not convince him of anything, but we both enjoyed dinner, so we could hopefully be more open to having conversations with others in future.