Conversing Over the Gap: A Meeting Between Opposing Perspectives
Introducing the Individuals
One Participant: P., 34, London
Occupation Ex- government employee, currently a student focusing on community health
Voting record Supported Green last time (and a affiliate of the party); formerly Labour Party. Describes himself as “progressive, and internationalist rather than patriotic”
Interesting fact A drawing of a tea cup Peter did as a kid was once displayed in the National Gallery of Ireland
Other Participant: A., 43, from Harrow
Profession Risk analyst in the infrastructure industry
Political history Hailing from the Indian subcontinent, he has lived in the United Kingdom for half a decade, and supported the Conservative Party. Describes himself as “somewhat moderate right”
Amuse bouche Akshat self-learned to read and write Urdu. “It has no practical use for me, I was just fascinated”
Initial impressions
Akshat Over the last two decades, I have resided and been employed in Qatar, East Asia, the US. The issues we talked about are UK-centric, but they are also universal, because people's lives more or less follows the same curve across the world. I anticipated someone very liberal, but he was quite measured – we had a good, rational discussion. I drank beer, he opted for mojitos.
Peter We shared starters – seafood rolls, dumplings, radish cakes with sprouts, which were superb. I was a little nervous, as I think Akshat was. Was he going to attack me for my sensitivity? We’re both immigrants. My childhood was in Dublin; I have resided in the United States and Spain. We bonded over our affection for the capital.
Key disagreements
The first participant I look at immigration like sprinkling 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 He had a metaphor regarding seasoning. It would be a funny place to exist if the government was choosing some preferred demographic of the country.
The first participant There are, sadly, people fleeing persecution, but many people coming to the United Kingdom are economic migrants who do not necessarily contribute much and can weigh on the welfare system. No one compels you to move to a new country for opportunity, so you ought to relocate if you can take care of your own needs and your relatives.
The second participant We became confused with some of the facts. I don’t think it is the case that you arrive and are employed and then after five years you get permanent citizenship. No process is guaranteed. It’s been a hostile environment for some time, application costs are really high, there is an NHS surcharge, eligibility for support is limited. The red carpet isn’t rolled out for anybody. And regarding the new policies, under which family reunification is restricted, it is astonishing to state: we desire your labor, but we reject you as a person. I think we must maintain a certain level of compassion.
Sharing plate
The first participant Peter questions unchecked capitalism. I am, too, but simultaneously, economic growth benefits society and ought to be promoted.
The second participant We’re both internationalist. And we agreed that certain elements of the community – politics, the media – benefit from stoking division. We discovered common ground in basic principles and values.
For afters
Akshat Peter believes that since the United Kingdom profited from colonial times, it should pay compensation to affected nations. My view is simply: you cannot judge history with contemporary ethics; eras vary, modern people had no control of what happened 50 or 100 years ago. Let’s say the UK had to compensate the Indian nation, it would be a significant sum of money. Is Britain able to manage that? Certainly not.
The second participant Until recently, I don’t think there was much reckoning with colonial history. For example, when I first moved to the United Kingdom, the public weren’t aware of the Great Famine and the part that imperial rule contributed to it. My view is decolonization is not merely about signing a cheque, it ought to involve looking at what went wrong and our current responsibilities.
Final thoughts
Akshat It won’t change the my perspective, but I appreciate Peter’s concerns. I talk to individuals every day whose views are opposite to my own. It’s about uniting people to the common understanding, in order that all of us can work towards the improvement of society.
The second participant We were there for two and a half hours. Akshat had dessert and I had a Japanese dessert wine. I did not convince him of any point, but we each liked dinner, so we could hopefully be more open to having conversations with other people in the coming times.