Field Museum maps exhibit, woot
maaaaaps (to quote heather)
It is incredible to get an inkling of how the world has appeared, been mapped, in the minds of people from other places, other eras; to be reminded that how we see things is just how WE see things, not how they are. Maps become so internalized (except not for some people); is it fascinating sometimes to realize that some people, the kind who get lost all the time, don't map in their minds; and that there was, must have been, a time in history or place on earth with no concept of maps. Interesting also to realize there are some spaces I know how to navigate (like Montauk, NY), but don't have a very direction-accurate map of them in my head.
I froze and temporarily lost interest in the exhibit suddenly when this dull fear washed over me, saying "why do this? why focus on this now? You will forget it all anyway."
so- why:
1) enjoying the moment isn't a waste! This is a life-collapsing assumption (and I thus reject it because one of my axioms is not to reject life) b/c life is made up of moments, that is all there is, one after another.
2) you don't have to forget! you can jot things down to help you remember, such as
-Japan Edo-Kyoto map
edit: This was a 60 foot-long scroll from I think the 1600s which pictorially mapped what lay along the route from Japan's military capital (Kyoto) and imperial/spiritual capital (Edo).
-Inuit Greenland wood-carving maps
-Lindburgh's map for crossing the Atlantic
-direction-full map of the mediterranean from early compass era
-video on digital maps
-1st London underground map
-Islamic map
-Land of Make-Believe map
-Japanese warlords' territories map
-England roaps with distances by fishmonger's friend map
-India map
-early globe (simply- wow)
-the idea of lost, found, and again lost, and again found knowledge of the earth's sphericality and what this process says about the concept of "human knowledge" as a single body
-Chinese 1136 stone-carving map with precise distance markings
I will try to expand on each of these with more comments later. Tell me if one intrigues you and I'll start with that one!
It is incredible to get an inkling of how the world has appeared, been mapped, in the minds of people from other places, other eras; to be reminded that how we see things is just how WE see things, not how they are. Maps become so internalized (except not for some people); is it fascinating sometimes to realize that some people, the kind who get lost all the time, don't map in their minds; and that there was, must have been, a time in history or place on earth with no concept of maps. Interesting also to realize there are some spaces I know how to navigate (like Montauk, NY), but don't have a very direction-accurate map of them in my head.
I froze and temporarily lost interest in the exhibit suddenly when this dull fear washed over me, saying "why do this? why focus on this now? You will forget it all anyway."
so- why:
1) enjoying the moment isn't a waste! This is a life-collapsing assumption (and I thus reject it because one of my axioms is not to reject life) b/c life is made up of moments, that is all there is, one after another.
2) you don't have to forget! you can jot things down to help you remember, such as
-Japan Edo-Kyoto map
edit: This was a 60 foot-long scroll from I think the 1600s which pictorially mapped what lay along the route from Japan's military capital (Kyoto) and imperial/spiritual capital (Edo).
-Inuit Greenland wood-carving maps
-Lindburgh's map for crossing the Atlantic
-direction-full map of the mediterranean from early compass era
-video on digital maps
-1st London underground map
-Islamic map
-Land of Make-Believe map
-Japanese warlords' territories map
-England roaps with distances by fishmonger's friend map
-India map
-early globe (simply- wow)
-the idea of lost, found, and again lost, and again found knowledge of the earth's sphericality and what this process says about the concept of "human knowledge" as a single body
-Chinese 1136 stone-carving map with precise distance markings
I will try to expand on each of these with more comments later. Tell me if one intrigues you and I'll start with that one!