Conversing Over the Divide: An Encounter Among Different Viewpoints
Introducing the Participants
First Participant: Peter, 34, London
Occupation Ex- civil servant, now a student studying public health
Voting record Supported Green recently (also a affiliate of the party); previously Labour Party. Describes himself as “progressive, and internationalist instead of patriotic”
Interesting fact A sketch of a teacup he did as a kid was once hung in the National Gallery of Ireland
Other Participant: A., 43, Harrow
Occupation Risk analyst in the construction sector
Voting record Originally from the Indian subcontinent, Akshat has resided in the UK for five years, and voted Conservative. Describes himself as “slightly moderate right”
Amuse bouche Akshat taught himself to understand the Urdu language. “It has no practical use for me, I was just fascinated”
Initial impressions
The first participant During the past 20 years, I have resided and been employed in Qatar, East Asia, the United States. The issues we talked about are focused on Britain, but they are also universal, because human life largely evolve similarly across the world. I was expecting a staunch liberal, but he was quite measured – we engaged in a productive, logical conversation. I had a couple of beers, he opted for mojitos.
Peter We split starters – seafood rolls, steamed buns, radish cakes with sprouts, 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’ve lived in the United States and Spain. We connected through our affection for the capital.
Key disagreements
The first participant I view migration similar to adding salt to a meal. When you add a little bit, the food is delicious. Add too little or too much and the dish is either too bland or too salty.
The second participant Akshat had a metaphor regarding seasoning. It would be odd to exist if the state was choosing some ideal ethnic makeup of the nation.
The first participant There are, unfortunately, individuals escaping oppression, but many people arriving in the United Kingdom are those seeking better finances who do not necessarily contribute much and can burden the benefit system. Nobody forces you to move to a different nation for prospects, so you ought to relocate if you can take care of yourself and your family.
The second participant We got lost with some of the facts. I don’t think it is the case that you come over and work and then after five years you get indefinite leave to remain. No process is guaranteed. It’s been a hostile environment for some time, visa fees are really high, there is an healthcare levy, eligibility for support is limited. There is no special treatment for anybody. And concerning the recent changes, whereby family reunification is restricted, 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.
Sharing plate
The first participant Peter questions unchecked capitalism. I am, too, but simultaneously, wealth creation benefits society and should be encouraged.
The second participant We each have global outlooks. And we agreed that some parts of society – politics, the media – benefit from creating conflict. We did find common ground in fundamentals and values.
Dessert and debate
The first participant Peter is of the opinion that since the UK profited from colonial times, it ought to provide compensation to those countries. My view is simply: you cannot judge history with present day morality; eras vary, current society were not responsible of what happened 50 or 100 years ago. Let’s say the Britain had to compensate India, it would be a significant sum of funds. Is Britain able to do that? Certainly not.
The second participant In the past, I believe adequate reflection occurred with colonial history. For example, when I first moved to the UK, the public had little knowledge of the Great Famine and the role that imperial rule contributed to it. I hold that decolonization is not merely about issuing payments, it should be about examining what went wrong and our current responsibilities.
Final thoughts
The first participant It may not alter the my perspective, but I understand Peter’s concerns. I talk to individuals every day whose views are opposite to mine. The goal is uniting people to the same page, in order that all of us can work towards the betterment of society.
Peter We were there for two and a half hours. He enjoyed a sweet treat and I had a Japanese dessert wine. I didn’t persuade him of anything, but we each liked the meal, so we might become more open to engaging in dialogues with others in future.
