Today in class we learned that the standard map we're used to seeing is actually wrong. When we watched the Netflix clip from the show West Wing, the character presents the idea of finally switching schools over to the 'correct' map, the Peters-Projection map. In the clip, it shows how distorted the previous map was compared to real life sizing. In a standard map, Greenland is about the same size as Africa. However, as we learned today in class Greenland is actually about 1/14 of Africa. Along with this, other countries appear to be larger/smaller than what is true.
Along with learning that our map may not be the most accurate, we talked about why the map is facing in the direction it is. What determines that North should be at the top and South the bottom? In another clip from the show, West Wing, the presenter talks about this and flips the map upside down. After hearing that I began to think more on it and realized he makes a very true point. Why does Greenland and Canada get to be at the top but Australia has to be at the bottom? If the map was flipped would other countries have more importance than the ones important today?
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