The cartographer's assumption

Cartographers are subject to the same cultural biases and blind spots as ordinary citizens and may consciously or unconsciously employ the elements of their craft in ways that can lead users of the maps to incorrect impressions and conclusions. That is, the cartographers may expect the world to be ordered in a particular fashion and that assumption is carried in their maps. Or, they make decisions about which choices work best for the anticipated user and wind up habitually skewing the map presentation in ways that become institutionalized over time and carry implications not foreseen by the cartographers.

The rising popularity of geotag-map projects on the net inspired Sam Renseiw to the following map sequence, charting locations somehow between Dortmund and Shanghai, complete with meteorological data from the Tonga insularities. The interactivity consists in the mental effort to be exercised. View by clicking here or enter the vlogsoup above. (patafilm#182, 00'54'',4.3 MB, mov/quicktime)