Grainne, a 52-year-old content editor for a children’s retailer from London, is known for always supporting the Labour Party. However, she did not vote in the last election and finds the first past the post system strange. In the past, she worked as an art copyist, creating imitations of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, a German painter from the 1920s.
Marlon, a 65-year-old part-time financial software analyst also from London, generally supports the Labour Party but once voted for the Workers Revolutionary Party in the 70s because he disliked the Labour candidate, John Silkin. Marlon has experience as a chess player and even captained a winning team at the British chess championship in the 80s.
During their meal, Grainne found Marlon trendy-looking and approved of his nail varnish. Marlon, on the other hand, appreciated Grainne’s erudite and intelligent nature. Marlon took the lead in ordering food and showed confidence. They shared a delicious lobster linguine, which Grainne enjoyed, especially when someone orders for her. After the pasta, they each had half a tiramisu.
The main topic of discussion between them was inherited wealth. Grainne believes in helping one’s children by passing on wealth, as her parents did for her. She disagrees with Marlon, who thinks inherited wealth is wrong, as it further perpetuates inequality. They both agreed on abolishing the monarchy and banning private schools. Grainne, especially, has become more republican since the Queen’s reign. They also shared negative views on Boris Johnson and Brexit, aligning with their left-wing beliefs.
Grainne and Marlon briefly discussed overpopulation. While they agreed that actively doing something about it would require despotic measures, they jokingly suggested putting child limits on the rich due to their larger carbon footprints. Marlon acknowledges that while rich people’s children do contribute more to environmental impact, any efforts to limit reproduction would fail.
Grainne appreciates Marlon’s “eat-the-rich” attitude, but she takes a more subtle approach. They discussed the average number of children per household in Japan, which led to a conversation about the challenges of an aging population and dwindling tax base. Marlon believes the issue will eventually dissipate.
In terms of food choices, both Grainne and Marlon try to eat ethically sourced meat. However, Grainne sometimes buys cheap chickens from Asda, and they occasionally purchase cheap chickens from Sainsbury’s.
Overall, they respected each other’s opinions and had a great evening. Despite their differences, they found themselves agreeing on most topics.