Stop Calling Mandela A Giant

A Misleading Metaphor That Doesn’t Help His Cause

Nelson Mandela has departed. It will take time for the next generation to truly understand his legacy and carry on his mission of justice. Before we do that, we should re-evaluate what significance of his work means to us. Lately, I noticed that quite a few world leaders use the word “giant” to describe Mandela.

“[Mandela was] a giant among us — someone who, by the power of his example, demonstrated unequivocally how each can choose how we will respond to those injustices, and grievances, those sorrows and tragedies that afflict all of human kind.” Hillary Rodham Clinton, Former Secretary of State

“Nelson Mandela was a giant for justice and a down-to-earth human inspiration…” Ban Ki Moon, UN Secretary General

Other notable leaders who used this term include Manmohanh Singh, Prime Minister of India, Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela, and probably many others. I think these expressions are referring to two dimensions of why Mandela’s life was significant: scope — the number of people whose lives were positively impacted by him (directly or indirectly); and meaning — the message of justice and equality which resonates so deeply with many people. Both of these dimensions feel large and cosmic to us. Hence only a very “big” person could ever make a difference in those facets of our lives. But that is totally wrong and misleading! Here is why.

The media perpetuates our metaphors, for better or worse.

Obviously, we are talking about a metaphor that people use to express their feelings and make a point. But metaphors have a function far deeper than just a literary and linguistic tool. Metaphors help us define and understand things in terms of other things. They have a crucial function in how we see the world and make sense of it. In this case, calling Mandela a giant is an instance of a spatial metaphor combined with mythology. Some of the most fundamental concepts are usually defined using spatial metaphors, with out us even knowing it. For example, one could say “a man is standing in front of a tree”, and you would immediately visualize the scene, even though a tree doesn't have a front or back. It’s just the accepted metaphor to establish the placement of the viewer and the two objects in relation to each other. In the case of the metaphor I have an issue with we have a similar logic. The scope of the impact of Mandela’s life is so wide that we feel appropriate to call him a giant to describe it. Giants can see farther and are more powerful; they are unstoppable and almost invincible!

Metaphors can be so powerful that they transcend cultures. Here is a story from a major Russian publication using the same metaphor — “ a giant of justice”

But metaphors have another quality that we don’t normally think about. They highlight some aspects of a concept while hiding others. For example, when we say “love is a battlefield”, we highlight the adversary nature of romantic relationships, while hiding its other characteristics, like caring or nurturing. By the same token, when we call Mandela a “giant of justice” we highlight the size and power that is sometimes necessary to pursue justice, while hiding the humility, selflessness, thoughtfulness, and personal sacrifice that Mandela embodied. More importantly, giants are only “giants” in relation to ordinary people. If everyone is a giant, nobody is. Further, in most myths that have giants as characters (like Titans in Greek mythology), they are usually rare creatures. So by using this metaphor we subconsciously accept that Mandela’s work is a prerogative or skill of very rare people. So how can we, ordinary folk, be expected to contribute to it and carry on the legacy. Rather, we should find the next giant, or start looking for him or her to help us continue this important work.

And that’s why we should stop using this metaphor. Mandela’s mission was to stand against injustice and inequality no matter how big or small it is. Doing that doesn't require a rare talent or skill, and it doesn't require immense power. It is an inherently selfless act consisting of lots of small victories and lots of small losses. Of course it may require more courage and sacrifice, but there is nothing inherently giant about it. Se we should use a different metaphor or create a completely new one that can define the significance of Mandela’s life in new ways, highlighting the right qualities for the right reasons.

Sandjar Kozubaev is an economist, experience strategist, educator and futures practitioner at InReality, a design firm based in Atlanta, GA.