How much of an effect does map orientation have on the perception of a country and its place in the world?

Question

I once saw an upside-down world map. On first glance, I was compelled to say that the maps was “wrong.” But then I realized that no, it is wrong from what perspective? We’re accustomed to seeing maps oriented in a certain accepted way, but that doesn’t mean that that “accepted way” is the “correct” way. In space, there is no North or South, no East and West. There is no top and there is no bottom. We use directions because they make it easier for us to pinpoint locations, but it is still a human construct. If an alien species were to happen upon our planet and marvel at the beauty of its landmasses and water from space — so much that they wanted to draw them, do you think they would know to orient the continents from the ONE perspective that we accept as "correct"?

The way we orient maps may reflect bias, with the implication that some locations are on “top” of others and that some nations come "first" because of the direction in which we read. What are your thoughts?

Answer 1

I've never met an alien so I am not familiar with an alien's orientation.  You are correct about our individual place on earth.  Most of us reside in our own "center of the universe".  There are no directions at my location.  Directions are to the left and right of me.  Up and down from me.  The first thing we tend to do when viewing a map is find our place on the map.  The rest of the map is directional.  Away from our "center", our home.

Answer 2

So true.

Where I live in the southern hemisphere there has been at least one attempt to have people use the map "inverted" from the conventional atlas to show us at the top.

Not to mention the distortions brought about by use of the Mercator projection, e.g see below

Answer 3

First, cartography originated in Europe, who set the standard. Whatever be the utility of 'Mercator' projection to Europe, it has succeeded in distorting the world view and then the perceptions innumerable to list here. One thing that stands out is the distortion of North vs South. North has more area on the Arctic fringes which spreads out in latitude from zero to the full length of equator showing these areas grotesquely large. In South there is no habitable area beyond 60d lat.

Now that Antarctica is also there, it is shown exaggerated more than all other regions, but being uninhabited by humans one need not pay attention to it.

Another aspect is 'approach'. When a ship approaches land the navigator holds the map with his approach direction at the bottom of map. If it is the normal map with north at the top, he turns it around, if he is approaching from north. Imagine sailing into the Baltic heading for German coast. Try this on 'Google Earth'; you may have to turn the map around. If you are navigating an Aeroplane this 'approach/heading' will spell serious trouble as decision time is likely to be very short. It would be convenient to orient country maps accordingly

Answer 4

Whichever country makes the map generally locates that country in the middle.  Most US maps showed S. America and Africa as being smaller to make N America look larger.  We rarely see the world from the southern hemisphere perspective.