Conversing Over the Divide: A Encounter Between Opposing Perspectives

Meeting the Individuals

First Participant: P., 34, from London

Occupation Ex- government employee, now a student focusing on community health

Voting record Voted the Green Party last time (and a member of the political group); previously Labour. Identifies as “progressive, and internationalist instead of patriotic”

Interesting fact A drawing of a teacup he did as a child was once displayed in the National Gallery of Ireland

Second Participant: Akshat, 43, Harrow

Profession Risk analyst in the infrastructure industry

Political history Originally from the Indian subcontinent, he has resided in the United Kingdom for five years, and supported the Conservative Party. Identifies as “slightly right of centre”

Amuse bouche Akshat self-learned to read and write the Urdu language. “It has no practical use for me, I simply found it intriguing”

For starters

The first participant Over the last two decades, I have resided and been employed in the Middle East, South Korea, the United States. The issues Peter and I discussed are UK-centric, but they are also global, because human life more or less follows the same curve across the world. I anticipated someone very liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we engaged in a good, rational discussion. I drank beer, he opted for mojitos.

Peter We split appetizers – fishy spring rolls, steamed buns, 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 each have immigrant backgrounds. I grew up in Dublin; I’ve lived in the US and the Iberian Peninsula. We bonded over our affection for the capital.

Key disagreements

Akshat I view migration like adding salt to a dish. With a small amount, the dish tastes wonderful. Add too little or too much and the dish is insipid or overly seasoned.

Peter He had a metaphor about seasoning. It would be a funny place to exist if the government was selecting some preferred demographic of the country.

Akshat There are, unfortunately, individuals fleeing persecution, but a lot of migrants arriving in the UK are economic migrants who do not necessarily contribute much and can weigh on the benefit system. No one compels you to move to a different nation for prospects, so you ought to relocate if you are able to support your own needs and your relatives.

The second participant We became confused with some of the facts. In my view it is the case that you arrive and are employed and then following a half-decade you obtain permanent citizenship. No process is guaranteed. The climate has been unwelcoming for some time, application costs are quite expensive, you pay an NHS surcharge, eligibility for support is limited. There is no special treatment for anybody. And concerning the recent changes, whereby you can’t bring your family over, it is astonishing to state: we desire your labor, but we reject you as a person. I believe we have to have a degree of compassion.

Common ground

Akshat Peter questions unregulated markets. I am, too, but simultaneously, wealth creation benefits society and ought to be promoted.

The second participant We’re both internationalist. And we agreed that certain elements of society – government, the press – thrive off stoking division. We did find common ground in fundamentals and ethics.

For afters

The first participant Peter is of the opinion that because the United Kingdom profited from the colonial era, it ought to provide compensation to those countries. I simply think: you cannot judge the past with present day morality; eras vary, modern people had no control of what happened decades or a century ago. Let’s say the Britain had to compensate India, it would be a huge amount of funds. Is Britain able to do that? Certainly not.

Peter In the past, I believe there was much reckoning with the colonial past. For example, upon my arrival to the UK, people weren’t aware of the Great Famine and the part that colonialism contributed to it. My view is decolonisation is not merely about issuing payments, it ought to involve looking at past errors and our current responsibilities.

Final thoughts

Akshat It won’t change the way I think, but I understand his worries. I converse with individuals regularly with opinions are opposite to my own. It’s about uniting people to the common understanding, so that everyone can strive for the improvement of society.

Peter We remained for two and a half hours. Akshat had dessert and I had some sweet Japanese wine. I didn’t persuade 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.