🔗 Share this article Dining Across the Gap: An Encounter Among Different Perspectives Meeting the Participants First Diner: P., 34, from London Occupation Ex- government employee, now a student focusing on community health Voting record Supported the Green Party last time (also a affiliate of the party); formerly Labour. Describes himself as “progressive, and internationalist rather than patriotic” Amuse bouche A drawing of a teacup Peter did as a kid was once hung in the National Gallery of Ireland Second Participant: Akshat, 43, from Harrow Occupation Risk manager in the infrastructure industry Political history Hailing from India, he has resided in the United Kingdom for half a decade, and voted the Conservative Party. Describes himself as “slightly right of centre” Amuse bouche Akshat taught himself to understand the Urdu language. “It has no practical use for me, I was just fascinated” For starters Akshat During the past 20 years, I have resided and been employed in Qatar, South Korea, the United States. The issues Peter and I talked about are focused on Britain, but they are also global, because people's lives largely evolve similarly across the world. I was expecting a staunch liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we had 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 felt somewhat anxious, as I believe he was too. Was he going to attack me for my sensitivity? We’re both immigrants. My childhood was in Dublin; I’ve lived in the US and the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our affection for London. Key disagreements The first participant I look at immigration similar to adding salt to a dish. With a small amount, the dish tastes wonderful. Use too little or too much and the meal is insipid or overly seasoned. The second participant Akshat used an analogy regarding salt. It would be a funny place to be if the state was choosing some preferred demographic of the nation. The first participant There are, unfortunately, people escaping oppression, but many migrants arriving in the United Kingdom are economic migrants who do not necessarily contribute much and can weigh on the benefit system. No one compels you to move to a new country for opportunity, so you should only go if you can take care of your own needs and your relatives. Peter We became confused with some of the facts. In my view it’s like you come over and are employed and then after five years you get indefinite leave to remain. Nothing is automatic. The climate has been unwelcoming since Theresa May, application costs are really high, there is an healthcare levy, eligibility for support is restricted. There is no special treatment for anyone. And regarding the new policies, under which family reunification is restricted, it’s incredible to say: we want your work, but we reject you as a person. I think we must maintain a degree of compassion. Common ground The first participant Peter questions unchecked capitalism. I am, too, but at the same time, wealth creation helps communities and should be encouraged. The second participant We each have global outlooks. And we concurred that some parts of the community – government, the press – benefit from creating conflict. We discovered shared understanding in basic principles and ethics. Dessert and debate Akshat Peter believes that because the UK benefitted from the colonial era, it should pay reparations to affected nations. My view is simply: you cannot judge the past with contemporary ethics; times are different, current society were not responsible of what happened 50 or 100 years ago. Suppose the Britain had to compensate India, it would be a huge amount of funds. Is Britain able to do that? Certainly not. The second participant Until recently, I don’t think there was much reckoning with colonial history. As an instance, when I first moved to the UK, the public had little knowledge of the Irish famine and the part that imperial rule played in it. My view is decolonization is not merely about issuing payments, it should be about looking at what went wrong and our current responsibilities. Final thoughts The first participant It won’t change the way I think, but I understand his worries. I talk to individuals regularly whose views are opposite to mine. It’s about bringing everyone to the common understanding, so that everyone can strive for the betterment of the community. The second participant We were there for 150 minutes. He enjoyed a sweet treat and I had some sweet Japanese wine. I didn’t persuade him of any point, but we each liked dinner, so we could hopefully be more receptive to engaging in dialogues with others in the coming times.