In a unique social experiment, two Londoners with contrasting political perspectives sat down for a meal to bridge the ideological gap. Samuel, a 34-year-old communications professional, and Catrina, a 24-year-old former hospital caseworker, tackled topics from net migration to the influence of 'woke' culture and artificial intelligence.
A Meeting of Minds Over German-Korean Fusion
The pair met at Engel Bar in London EC3, where the eclectic menu set the tone for a wide-ranging conversation. Samuel, dressed in a fetching pink wedding suit, described Catrina as intellectually curious and a great talker, having recently returned from a four-month trek along the Silk Road. Catrina found Samuel to be incredibly smiley and effervescent. Their meal, a cultural hodgepodge, included oysters, a hotdog, a lobster roll, a Korean doughnut, and a few cocktails.
The Immigration Debate: Brain Drain and Ethical Recruitment
The discussion quickly turned to one of the UK's most contentious issues: immigration. Catrina expressed concern about the scale of net migration, citing a figure of around 900,000 for 2023. Her primary argument was not about being unwelcoming, but about ethics. She highlighted the UK's recruitment of skilled workers, such as doctors, from countries like those in West Africa that are themselves experiencing skills shortages, calling it a problematic 'brain drain'.
Samuel understood her point, agreeing that Catrina's stance was not rooted in racism but in a concern for global equity. He illustrated the irony by referencing a favourite Stewart Lee anti-UKIP sketch: "I think the brightest and best should stay in Bulgaria." To his surprise, Catrina revealed it was her favourite sketch too, finding a point of shared humour in the debate.
Samuel countered that the UK's world-class higher education system is a major draw for international students, and argued that the core issue is "putting profit before people," not the students themselves.
Woke Politics, Social Media, and a Technological Future
On the subject of so-called 'woke' politics, Catrina believed the focus had gone too far towards individual action. "Racism and sexism are systemic societal issues, and we all participate in society," she said, arguing that over-individualising these problems makes people reluctant to engage.
Samuel aligned this view with commentators like Ash Sarkar or Slavoj Žižek, who suggest 'woke' culture divides the left. For him, the solution was simpler: treat others with the love and respect you expect in return.
Their views diverged again on technology. Catrina was pessimistic, seeing social media as a force that complicates politics and diminishes quality of life. Samuel, while acknowledging the 'doom spirals' algorithms can create, was more optimistic. He pointed to humanity's history of technological advancement and cited positive applications, like AI being used to screen more effectively for cancer.
Key Takeaways and a Kazakh Postcard
Despite their differences, the encounter ended positively. They exchanged numbers, with Catrina stating she'd love to catch up with Samuel again. As a parting gift, she gave him a postcard from Kazakhstan featuring a mural painted on an unloved, disused industrial site. Samuel found the gesture profoundly beautiful, leaving him inspired by its thoughtful symbolism.
The experiment, part of a series called 'Dining Across the Divide', demonstrated that even on deeply polarising topics, respectful dialogue and shared laughter—over a shared Stewart Lee sketch—can build unexpected connections.
