If we start using south-side-up maps, how are fantasy writers supposed to come up with shapes for their fictional continents?
This map is not upside down
161–170 of 540 posts
Re: This map is not upside down
#162Disappointed there was no discussion of maps where east or west are up.
Re: This map is not upside down
#163> Psychologically, we tend to view things nearer the top as ‘good’ and those lower as ‘bad.’
Yea, sure. That's why we all try to vacation in a "tropical paradise", which tend to be in the middle of the map.
People are dumb, really dumb even, but even a two year old is going to realize vertical map position doesn't equate to "good".
Re: This map is not upside down
#164Earlier quoted context omitted.
I mean several languages are right to left? I'd be interested to see if handedness in those countries is different.
> I mean several languages are right to left? So? Anyway, handedness bias is a humanity thing. You're not interested to see if they don't care about majority, are you? But let's be honest: it's just other cultures to me. I don't even think WE often care about majority either.
I'm wondering if they have the same handedness for writing and for other tasks or not, if practice writing rtl makes them on average more ambidextrous on average etc. Does it have any cultural impacts like how we had the "sinister" thing in English?
Re: This map is not upside down
#165Earlier quoted context omitted.
At one point a character in Eco's Foucault's Pendulum says "archetypes don't exist, the body exists" and then gives some sexual and reproductive examples, followed by > And high is better than low, because if you have your head down, the blood goes to your brain, because feet stink and hair doesn’t stink as much, because it’s better to climb a tree and pick fruit than end up underground, food for worms, and because y…
> so if two people or other creatures are fighting, one who is higher is generally at an advantage compared to one who is lower or lying on the ground Tell that to a BJJ fighter.
I'll send the message via DJI drone.
Re: This map is not upside down
#166Earlier quoted context omitted.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_North_and_Global_South
Such grouping is based on dubious theories. For example, China is classified as a "developing economy" (red), even though it is one of only three countries with the independent capability to send humans into Earth's orbit using its own launch systems and spacecraft.
China (and India) are near the border, which is creeping downward as nations develop economically.
Australia is the funny one.
Re: This map is not upside down
#167Earlier quoted context omitted.
How would top-to-bottom benefit right-handed writers any more than left-handed ones?
And why would that make the top better than the bottom anyway? That's like saying the meal is worse after you finish it.
Because your arm doesn't cover the text as you are writing.
Re: This map is not upside down
#168Sundials also point northly throughout the day if you're in the northern hemisphere, another reason that North can be interpreted as "up"
Re: This map is not upside down
#169Earlier quoted context omitted.
I’m not sure it’s arbitrary. For one, starting at the top and ending at the bottom is natural progress of things because of gravity. I’m not sure if that means anything, but down-to-up seems very unnatural (of coure I can’t ignore my cultural biases). Is there any writing systems like that?
Gravity is just a random natural process to pick for your point. You could just as easily say “bottom to top is natural because that’s the direction trees grow”. It’s all arbitrary.
yeah it's remarkable how many comments in this thread seem to be grasping onto random facts as if they represent a non-arbitrary justification.
is this a contrarian impulse or an anti-contrarian impulse?
Re: This map is not upside down
#170In Japan, physical maps like in parks and city information booths are oriented to be aligned with the actual geography. Meaning, north on the map points to actual north. Made me think of how much more accurate the end to end process of putting up that map has to be vs. maps oriented by "north is up". Just imagine the map needs to be moved by 10m and rotated around for some last minute restructuring of the park before…
Reminds me of guide books. They probably do it to fit the maximum useful map on the quarter page they have allocated for it.