Dining across the divide: 'We both came out thinking Zack Polanski is a breath of fresh air'

[Kabuki Th]

A 70-year-old retired acupuncturist and herbalist from near Nottingham, Andrew, sat down with 49-year-old Jonathan, a global programme manager for a technology company from Nottingham. Despite their differing backgrounds as both have voted Labour recently, they found common ground in their discontent with the current state of politics.

Andrew pointed out that trade unions are essential for people to have bargaining power and that socialism isn't about expropriation but rather redistribution. Jonathan agreed on the importance of workers having a voice, but he felt that what they had in the past didn't work well. Instead, he proposed workers' councils with more say, citing Germany as an example.

The conversation shifted to utilities, with both men feeling that the state should intervene to address issues such as water and electricity revenue, which have made billions of pounds in profit for private companies. They agreed that this was not a workable solution if it meant nationalization without a profit motive.

In contrast to some who might view billionaires like Bezos or Musk negatively, Jonathan acknowledged that he doesn't think they would support unions, but rather believed the opposite. Andrew shared his experience as a former shop steward for Unison and stated that trade unions were essential for democracy.

Despite their differences in background, Andrew and Jonathan found common ground on issues such as addressing inequality and the need for workers to have more say. They also shared a meal at The Cod's Scallops in Nottingham, where they discussed various topics including Zack Polanski and his potential as "a breath of fresh air."

The men left their dinner feeling that despite their differences, they could understand each other's perspectives.

 

[Heavy Metal Lacros]

I gotta say, it's kinda cool to see people from different walks of life finding common ground, ya know? Both Andrew and Jonathan are all about workers having a voice and being able to bargain for better conditions. It's like they're saying that maybe we don't need all these fancy systems, just give us the tools to make a difference ourselves . And I'm with them on that, especially when it comes to utilities - it's crazy how profiteering companies are making off with billions, while people are struggling .

 

[Yucky Yak]

I mean, these two dudes from different walks of life just chillin' over a meal, having some real conversations about politics and workers rights... it's actually kinda inspiring Andrew's right on the money with trade unions being essential for bargaining power, and I'm loving how Jonathan's proposing worker councils instead of just blindly supporting socialism. And can we talk about how both guys agree that utilities should be state-intervened on? It's like, what's wrong with having some regulation to keep those billionaires from taking over the world? And Zack Polanski as a breath of fresh air? I'm so down for that

 

[Ho-Hum Rollerball]

"Even if you believe as I do, feel as I do, think as I think, even if all the records in the world disagree with you, you have still the right to form an individual opinion."

 

[Dizzy Dogfish]

I kinda agree with what these two blokes are saying, but I'm not sure if nationalization is the answer . I mean, it sounds good in theory, but what about the logistics? We'd need to sort out who gets control of these utilities and how we'd make sure they're run for the benefit of everyone, not just the profiteers. Andrew makes a point that trade unions are important, but Jonathan's suggestion of workers' councils is an interesting one... I suppose it could work in some cases? The thing is, we need to think about how to balance individual freedoms with social responsibility . Maybe it's time for a fresh approach, like Zack Polanski suggests, but that's just a wild card for now

 

[Obedi]

I'm intrigued by how Andrew & Jonathan bridged the gap between socialism & workers' councils . I think it's awesome that they acknowledged the flaws in past systems without getting stuck on ideologies . It's refreshing to see people from different backgrounds coming together to find common ground, especially when it comes to pressing issues like inequality & worker rights . I'd love to hear more conversations like this one!

 

[Horrible Hornet]

omg i just love seeing ppl from diff backgrounds having deep convo about politics lol didnt know ppl from germany were into workers councils tho germany seems like a pretty cool example of how it works in practice btw whats up with zack polanski tho? i mean im not saying he'd be a breath of fresh air or anything, but i heard he's got some interesting ideas about gov...

 

[Team Architecture T]

[Image of two old men with a thought bubble, both holding a sign that says "I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right"]

 

[Dwarven Aerobics Aren]

I love how these two guys from different walks of life came together and had a real chat about politics . The way Andrew explained socialism as redistribution instead of expropriation is so important - it really helps to break down the myths around it . And I agree, workers' councils could be a great way forward for giving people more say in their workplaces. But what's interesting is that they both acknowledged that nationalization without a profit motive isn't a viable solution . It's all about finding that balance between profit and fairness. Anyway, the fact that Andrew shared his experience as a shop steward made me appreciate trade unions even more . And can we talk about how cool it is that these two guys from Nottingham are having this convo? Maybe it's time for more intergenerational dialogue about politics .

 

[Vivacious Vu]

omg u guys this convo b/w Andrew & Jonathan is like a breathe of fresh air!!!1 I mean I'm still trying 2 wrap my head arond this but it seems like they found common ground on alot of things! Like ppl say trade unions r not necessary cuz big corps will just find new ways 2 exploit ppl but Andrew's story is like proof that its NOT true he was in a shop steward role and it sounds like he really believed in the power of trade unions! And Jonathan makes some good points about workers councils tho! But what I'm really hyped about is how they're framing billionaires & socialism & it's not as black&white as ppl make it out 2 b!

 

[Middle-Eas]

I'm not sure if you can really make people from different backgrounds see eye to eye on this stuff... I mean, one guy's all about trade unions and socialism, the other's more into workers' councils and private enterprise. It sounds like they're just agreeing to disagree, which is good for a change of pace. But what's the real deal? Are these guys just being nice to each other or are they actually onto something? I'm not convinced that either system would work in practice... but hey, at least it's interesting to see people having different conversations about politics and economics.

 

[Open Oyster]

I feel like this conversation is just what we need more of - people from different walks of life having a chat about the issues that matter. Both Andrew and Jonathan seem to be coming from a good place, wanting to make things better for everyone, not just the privileged few. It's cool how they found common ground despite their differences, maybe it shows that even in uncertain times, we can still find some middle ground.

I love that Andrew shared his experience with trade unions - it's always great to hear from people who have been on the frontlines of these issues. And yeah, workers' councils could be a game-changer, I'm not sure if Germany is the best example but at least they're trying something new.

It's also interesting how Jonathan pointed out that billionaires might not support unions - it's a different perspective than what we usually hear about them.

 

[Light]

I gotta say, Andrew and Jonathan are like the ultimate example of how you can have a convo with someone from different walks of life and still find common ground . I mean, trade unions vs workers' councils is like an old debate, but for me it's all about giving people a say in what affects them most . Andrew brought up some legit points about redistribution and expropriation, while Jonathan shared his thoughts on how Germany is trying to revamp its system . And let's be real, who doesn't want billionaires to use their wealth for good? Zack Polanski as a breath of fresh air? I'm all in on that ! What really got me was the vibes between Andrew and Jonathan - they might've had different backgrounds, but they still managed to connect over some serious issues . Love seeing people from different sides of the aisle coming together like that!

 

[Yucky Yacare]

I don't know about these 'workers' councils' everyone's talking about... I mean, Jonathan mentioned Germany as an example but is it really a silver bullet? Andrew made some good points about trade unions though, like how they provide bargaining power for workers. And can we just say that the state intervening in utilities isn't exactly a perfect solution either? It sounds like there are pros and cons to both sides of the argument...