Mrs. Mecomber of New York Renovator took slight issue with McArthur’s Universal Corrective Map I posted showing south as up:
…Plus, aren’t maps the way they are (Arctic on top, Antarctic on bottom) because that is how the Earth rotates around the Sun– Artic on top, Antarctic on bottom?
It’s great to be a free thinker. It’s dumb to be a free thinker without thinking something through. But then again, he’s only 12, and public schooled, to boot!
;) –Mrs. Mecomber
Now for me, this just further illustrates the point. Why do we look at MacArthur’s map and try to turn it “right side up?” Why do we think there is a “right side up?” Really and truly and I kid you not, it is because we have always seen it that way. And because it seems right, it is easy to fall into the trap of believing it is right and attempting to come up with a reason for it being right.
So let’s “think this through” just a little. Why do we think of the Arctic as being on top? Think back to your third grade textbook with that nifty picture of the Earth revolving around the sun. Now turn the image upside down. What changes? Nothing. Because there is less of a case for “up” in space than there is here on Earth.
The image above, known popularly as “Blue Marble” is one of the most widely distributed and recognized pictures in the world. It was taken from Apollo 17 on December 7, 1972. One interesting bit of trivia: the photo was edited to conform to our expectations. Nothing drastic. It was just turned “right side up.” Here is the picture before the edit:
Even NASA likes to turn the maps around.
Once upon a time, you could find maps with about every point on the compass as “up.” Many used major geological features as reference points. In Switzerland, for example, maps tended to depict south as up because of the mountains. Italy tended to depict north as up for the same reason.
East seemed to be somewhat of a standard. So much so in fact that the east became synonymous with knowing one’s way. To be “disoriented” literally means “to be without one’s east.” There is even evidence to suggest that the Israelites placed the east as up on their maps. Genesis 14:15, for example describes Hobah as being “on the left hand of Damascus.” Since Hobah actually lay to the north, this would place east at the top of the map.
Sailing brought north to the internationally recognized top of the map as sailors began to “orient” themselves by the north Star rather than the rising sun, the purported direction of paradise or whatever other justification they had for using the east before that. (OK, Ptolemy had a bit to do with it as well.)
It was a matter of convenience. Much the way you or I may rotate a map while navigating city streets.
There is a definite north and a definite south. But in a cosmological sense, there is no up.
I promise I will not post on this, but here is another image to challenge the mind:
FYI, the clock goes clockwise because that is the direction the shadow on a sundial moves in the northern hemisphere. Clockwise likely would have been the other way round had clock-making originated in the southern hemisphere. And it has not always been so in all cultures in all times. Take a look at the Jewish Townhall in Prague.
And just to make this relevant, I would say the same concept is at the heart of most people’s criticism of homeschooling. Public school is the norm, therefore it must be “right.”
[tags]geography, maps, cartography, homeschooling[/tags]
Isn’t it always a matter of perspective…and a willingness to be open to those perspectives:-)
I understand your reasoning, and it’s fine. Here’s the problem. If we want to get along in the world, we need to communicate with the world. If the standard understanding of my community is that “up” is “north” and “down” is “south” and I decide that there’s really no reason to use those conventions so I’ll use MacAruthur’s map, people will have a horrible time following my directions.
It works that way in maps. It works that way in any communication.
Oh…and doesn’t the water in a toilet swirl in a different direction depending upon which hemisphere you are in as well? Just something I have heard, not sure if it is true?
Stan, I’m not suggesting changing how we look at maps or map standards. There is a group who is…I think it is a bit of a hoax, but it is something about everyone inverting the map to promote ecological thinking.
Like that’ll work. : )
It is just a mental exercise to help think outside the box and to teach children why North is up and how the clock was developed. It is a mini-lesson in the history of map-making.
I cannot picture East as the top very well, even though that was a sort of standard for awhile. Because where would the East Pole be? I guess it works ok for a flat map, but for a globe? It seems totally unworkable to me. : )
Yep…them Aussies are on the “wrong” side of the world, drive on the “wrong” side of the road, and their toilets swirl backwards.
(That was for my husband who will likely have his two cents to add when he reads this…)
Now I’m all turned around.
I agree, it’s always a good thing to think outside the box and teach our kids the hows and whys of things, like why North is up.
My son asked me about directions this morning. He is still trying to figure out why north is, well, north. I immediately thought of your article. He throughly enjoyed it! Thanks for the lesson!
Yeah! It served some purpose other than my own curiosity!
And just to reiterate: I do not have any issue with the convention of North as up. This is ONLY offered for, well, really just for the fun of it. But I do think it makes an interesting introduction to learning about cartography.
And only slightly less well known is this – never go up against an Australian when maps are on the line!!!! (maniacal laughing)
Good stuff. Enjoyed the visuospatial stretching
Enjoyed the maniacal laughter!
Good post, Dana.
Here’s another one to get people thinking about arbitrary definitions. Why is the the international date line where it is?
By the way, north and south have magnetic definitions. North is positive pole of the earth’s magnetic field and south is the negative one. For now.
Of course, it is arbitrary to define the positive as north, but there is a physical reality that defines the poles themselves.
Nice addition to the discussion, Elisheva Levin! Thank you!
Woohoo my comments have madeit to a post! I’m famous!
Actually, I didn’t truly “take issue” with MacArthur’s map. I challeneged the challenge. I think Stan (above in comments) makes a good point, and Elisheva just reiterates what I said in the previous post: there is a physical dimension to north and south, and it is partly that dimension that constitutes “up.” Also, I did challenge your opinion on the sailors and the North Star and Paradise.
As always, a good post.
P.S. In the Old Testament, God talks about the “north” and uses “up.” I tend to put weight on that.
Depending on your perspective, Jesus just may be sitting on the Left Hand of the throne!
Hmmm. Interesting thoughts.
No up? Is there a difference between “north” and “up”? Just wondering. I guess (I am not Einstein) that if the universe does not stretch on for eternity, there would have to be some sort of “up”-direction.
I know this discussion is not crucial, but it certainly is mind-boggling.
According to popular legend, when the British laid down their arms at Yorktown, at the ceremony of surrender in 1781, the British regiments played the tune “The World Turned Upside Down.” Part of the song went like this:
“If grass ate oxen and horses rode men,
“The whole world would be turned upside down.”
Actually the word translated “north” in the Old Testament is more correctly translated left. By orienting yourself to the east (toward the rising sun) left is, well, north. The translators used north because that is how it would make sense to those of us who didn’t know maps were to be drawn facing east.
Up is tricky in the Old Testament. No matter what the starting point was ~ the Bible seems to always use the word up to signify traveling to Jerusalem. I think this is spiritual rather than directional ~
What a fun entry! I have enjoyed the comments ~
I couldn’t agree with you more about public school being the norm
All in fun, Mrs. Mecomber. I enjoyed looking the stuff up. Just to be clear, I never questioned the concept of north and south, just how that relates to “up” and “down.”
Thanks for your insight into the language, Julie!
And thank you, Brian. I didn’t really have a point when I started the entry, but as I wrote it, the argument did seem more like those I read defending public school. Basically that it is the way it is and therefore it is right. : )
Do the Kings of the North come against Israel, but the Lord Jesus Christ will enter through the East Gate?
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The image created by the eye is real and inverted. Many people are surprised to learn that the images we always see are inverted. The reason we do not notice this is that we know no other reality.
http://library.thinkquest.org/27066/theeye/nlstructure.html
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Hence the definition of invert in Merriam Websters online dictionary means only one thing:
AUSTRALIA IS ON TOP, and the Northern Hemisphere is NOT.
Invert:
1 a: to reverse in position, order, or relationship b: to subject to inversion
2 a: to turn inside out or upside down b: to turn inward
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But since North is up is your reality, we will let you live in your delusions.