The Iceberg Concept

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Angela’s take:

I was rushing to class one Monday morning but had to make a detour to buy a pen (apparently, the one I had got lost somewhere while I was preparing for the day). As I was standing patiently at the counter waiting for the shopkeeper to look for the box with the blue pens, I felt something wet on my toes. Looking down, my feet were now in a pool of water and was annoyed even more when I saw a woman staring back with a triumphant smile while holding a bucket. (I guess the smile was her other way of communicating, probably “Kwani yeye haoni,” to mean ‘is she blind?’, or rather it was just her other way of saying ‘I’m sorry’. I sighed and said some mean words in my heart which, to me, is typically human.

There is so much that goes on behind the scenes compared to what we see with our naked eyes. What happens underneath is worthwhile and also interesting to delve into. Back then, I saw this act of intentionally wetting my feet as weird and unwarranted and it put me off. I did not take the time to look into what might have inspired her action. It could have been triggered by, say, a bitter experience. Maybe her child back home had mixed sugar and salt while playing or her husband forgot to pay rent or many others. She might also have had a belief that all humans are bad and so she might have been proving her theory. She might as well not have loved my black doll shoes and multi-colored dress warranting a wash -- It could be a mixture of all many things.

Our actions are mostly driven by personal experiences in history, our beliefs, prejudices, values or bias. Once all this is conceptualized, one is able to know how to react and understand each other well and deal with matters in a wholesome manner.

In the iceberg theory of Hemingway, the visible part accounts for 10-20% while 80-90% is the unseen part. When matters are solved without delving deeper into the unseen causative factors, then the decisions made are inconclusive and will not hold. If a child with ADHD or dyslexia who might have low grades, disinterested is misdiagnosed, we might say the child is lazy and foolish. The child might internalize such words especially if repeated and have low self-esteem. Eventually, such a child will lack skills and knowledge to launch a great future. However, if a right understanding of the condition is present, a better approach is adopted, better results are seen in the future of such a child. This model illustrates actions based on the fact that they are unable to do due to lack of skills, knowledge or executive function.

Another model is based on the fact that people just will not do it. It may be associated with hunger, loneliness, anger among others. It is a hidden influence in a person who has the abilities, skills and executive function that prevents them from completing a project or acting right.

The hidden and visible all fit in like a jigsaw puzzle and are co-existent.

Marshel’s take:

One person in constant contact with people emotions is the Kenyan tout. Yes, the 'Makanga’, portrayed by most Kenyan passengers as the one with rude responses and doesn’t give back change. Did you know that most Kenyan touts are actually very good people? I thought you should know. Matter of fact, I will not be surprised to see Kenyan touts walking in the streets of gold in Heaven, and perhaps with one of them as my neighbor.

Anyway, in my country, we have had a varied picture of these people. When we organize Christian outreach programs, like say, ‘Jesus on wheels’, do we usually look at these people beyond their tattered clothes and maroon uniforms or are we just interested with the passengers on board? When we sit near them in the bus, do we greet them and ask them about their day? Do we thank them when we alight? Now to the most painful part to my country people, do we tip them? While it is true that some can be thieves, have you ever thought otherwise? Some could be sincerely forgetful, not because they are not qualified as touts, but because they have a lot going on up there.

The Kenyan touts meet variety of people. While you may have heard some of them haul rude responses sometimes, the inspiration could have rooted from deep. These people meet passengers who might have been heartbroken, others dejected from looking for jobs, they meet those who are just hungry and others who are full, those who have bereavements, those who are broke, some those who are just arrogant, and some who are just Gor Mahia funs -- they come into contact with almost all sorts of people emotions as they go about their duties. Some in response from dealing with these people give hate for hate and love for love, some give hate always, but there is this group that gives love throughout regardless of what is thrown at them.

I have personally met touts, who are kind at heart than most religious individuals. I have met a few, who despite all the trash being thrown at them daily at work together with the pressures from home, they have remained to be really nice and adorable human beings who could still help you even if you take them to the cross.

When I reach Heaven, I would like to meet Jesus Christ, the Patriarchs, the Prophets, the Kings and the saved Kenyan tout. Until then, you and I need to learn from the Iceberg concept that teaches that just beneath what we see, there is a bigger issue underneath that we need to identify and address, before passing judgement and hauling insults. Why don’t we love them and help them with the underlying issue? By so doing we end up having a little heaven down here, because it is only through love that love is awakened.