The Rest of the Iceberg will help you understand the world. It answers questions and explains the backstories so you can make sense of what you see on the surface. That understanding will help you engage the world’s challenges better.
Going to church is an essential part of every tourist’s trip to Europe. Whether they are in Barcelona, Prague, or Paris, they shuffle quietly into some of the most stunning buildings in the world. They look at statues, stonework, paintings, and stained glass. The especially curious might attend a service. If they do, they will wonder why almost everyone there is, like them, a tourist. Europeans attend religious services less than people anywhere else in the world. Why?
Cars are expensive. Unless you’re talking antiques, their value only goes down. They cost a lot to repair and it’s a hassle when you have to. So it’s no wonder that reliability is a primary consideration when people buy a car. For the past thirty years, your safest bet has been to buy Japanese.
Why are the Japanese so good at making cars?
Have you ever seen Vladimir Putin, Russia’s leader, smile? Probably not. Whenever he appears on the Western news, the report is that Russia has done something sinister, and he certainly looks capable of whatever it is.
Ask a European, and they will tell you that Americans are violent. It’s not true. The number of assaults in America is similar to that in other countries. However, Americans are much more likely to die when attacked. The reason is guns. Americans citizens own as many guns as the rest of the world combined. Why?
A few years ago, Gallup asked people in more than a hundred countries whether religion was an important part of their daily lives. 83% of Iranians said, “Yes.” That may sound high but it actually put Iran right in the middle of the pack. But it’s understandable if you think of Iran as a land of religious zealots because that is how it’s portrayed in the media, especially in the US.
The battle against sexism isn’t over anywhere. Still, it’s shocking to know that until recently women in Saudi Arabia weren’t allowed to drive a car. What good explanation could there be?
It’s difficult to put the United States on a map. There’s the problem of what to do with Alaska, and the bigger problem of Hawaii.
Northern China. Northern France. Northern Canada. Northern Chad. All these are regions of particular countries. Northern Ireland is different.
Not only does it have a strong economy and high living standards, it even gets stereotyped well. Canada is a place where the weather is cold but the people are warm. They enjoy moose and maple trees. They cheer ice hockey. They don’t get involved in wars. They have a cool flag. Crime is low. Everyone has good health care.
