Fun animated gif showing just _how_ distortive Mercator is. In particular, look at Greenland! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercator_projection#/media/Fil...
It is time to 'Correct the Map'
21–30 of 42 posts
Re: It is time to 'Correct the Map'
#22How does it fit into this xkcd? https://xkcd.com/977/
Like Robinson, but more so.
Re: It is time to 'Correct the Map'
#23This is a very weird sounding pretense. Why does it matter if Africa in particular is bigger on the map compared to other countries and continents? How does area matter in general? It's not like we can infer anything useful from area comparisons. Also the map that is proposed (with the kinda-oval shape) is a map that I've seen a lot in school right next to now more common Mercator, and I'm from now here close to Afri…
It matters, especially for the perception of the less educated and less traveled (that happen to vote).
It matters how?
You think voters will increase support for Africa (whatever that means) if their perceived size of the continent is increased?
Re: It is time to 'Correct the Map'
#24We also need to decolonize contimental US! All white men must leave occupied land, and go to reserves in desert! Rest of the country will finaly live in harmony and socialism!
Re: It is time to 'Correct the Map'
#25Everyone knows Greenland is the real proponent of the Mercator projection. Using the unfair influence of their massive perceived size on the map to unfairly inflate their importance in global politics and economics. It's time to put Greenland back in its place.
I am now wondering if Trump's Greenland obsession is because he thinks it's very bigly, due to Mercator (it appears larger than the US in a Mercator projection).
Re: It is time to 'Correct the Map'
#26This is a very weird sounding pretense. Why does it matter if Africa in particular is bigger on the map compared to other countries and continents? How does area matter in general? It's not like we can infer anything useful from area comparisons. Also the map that is proposed (with the kinda-oval shape) is a map that I've seen a lot in school right next to now more common Mercator, and I'm from now here close to Afri…
I hope it's not sticking my neck out too far to claim that a large majority of people think the Mercator projection is accurate, or they don't think about accuracy at all and take it for granted. For example, it makes Russia insanely enormous, and therefore more fearsome than it deserves.
Who is afraid of Russia based on the perceived size of Siberia?
Re: It is time to 'Correct the Map'
#27Very annoying that I cannot see the part of the site (something like 30 pixels) in Firefox on Android.
Re: It is time to 'Correct the Map'
#28Why are we changing maps? (from The West Wing) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLqC3FNNOaI
This episode of The West Wing was exactly what came to my mind when reading the headline.
"But you can't do that." "Why not?" "Because it's freaking me out."
Such an entertaining show.
Re: It is time to 'Correct the Map'
#29Everyone knows Greenland is the real proponent of the Mercator projection. Using the unfair influence of their massive perceived size on the map to unfairly inflate their importance in global politics and economics. It's time to put Greenland back in its place.
I am now wondering if Trump's Greenland obsession is because he thinks it's very bigly, due to Mercator (it appears larger than the US in a Mercator projection).
You're not the only one who has wondered this: https://www.newsweek.com/mercator-projection-greenland-donal...
Re: It is time to 'Correct the Map'
#30This is a very weird sounding pretense. Why does it matter if Africa in particular is bigger on the map compared to other countries and continents? How does area matter in general? It's not like we can infer anything useful from area comparisons. Also the map that is proposed (with the kinda-oval shape) is a map that I've seen a lot in school right next to now more common Mercator, and I'm from now here close to Afri…
I hope it's not sticking my neck out too far to claim that a large majority of people think the Mercator projection is accurate, or they don't think about accuracy at all and take it for granted. For example, it makes Russia insanely enormous, and therefore more fearsome than it deserves.
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