Culture as Iceberg

The second ‘aha’ moment at the diversity workshop yesterday, was the iceberg analogy of culture, explained to us by Eric Law, adapted from material by Gary R. Weaver (Culture Communications and Conflict).

Above the waterline are external elements of culture that are explicity learned, conscious, easily changed, linked with objective knowledge that can be senses – seen, heard, tasted, touched, smelt.

Under the waterline are internal elements of culture that are implicity learned, unconscious, difficult to change, linked with subjective knowledge – beliefs, values, patterns, myths.

When two people or two people from different cultures come close to one another, it is like two icebergs colliding. Under the surface, often without people realising, unspoken assumptions are clashing or competing with one another.

The key is to be aware of one’s own iceberg, explicit and implict. And to listen in ways that help one to discover something of the sub-surface aspects of others’ cultures.

To help us get our heads around this concept, we met in small groups to talk about a scene during meal time on an ordinary day at the age of 10 to 12. I talked about the culture I experienced in a small family (6 siblings had recently left home) with an alcoholic father and codependent mother. We ate at a long rectangular table. It was fascinating to explore the impact of this scenario on my perception of power and authority, male and female roles, and hospitality. And just as fascinating to sit with five others doing the same thing.