In both texts they spoke about maps. In Harley he spoke about how maps are deliberately altered, mostly for strategy while in Farman he spoke about Google Earth and how people can actually put in pictures as well as that country aerial maps can be taken off (Japan wanted this). This is more for privacy issues since its real pictures on whatever is going on a that moment..
So with the first PHYSICAL change of a map, I had no idea what to write about or an example that would work...then I got to thinking. As I worked at a Radio station this summer, we went to TONS of events, parades, fairs, etc. Each event had a map of some sort to show where we were located or where things were going on. Some booths looked bigger than others on the map, even though all the booths were the same size. I believe this is deliberate distortion. The more popular the company, or the more the company paid, it seemed the bigger the deal they were on the map. Even if two stage concerts were the same size, if one had a more popular artist, then that concert stage was bigger. This brought people more towards that booth, cause as most would think the bigger the booth or stage the more popular it must be! I think that is pretty straight forward on distortion.
Now when I think about digital maps...I think about my beloved iPhone <3...love this thing....anyways, the iPhone has a beloved feature called Maps! This is a GPS system so this is a common use besides just on the iPhone. Now the GPS system and Maps app on the iPhone finds where you are and takes you where you need to be. I think this is us definitely taking advantage of the social networking tools. If I miss a turn then I just re-route myself, GPS does it by itself.... It is a blessing and I think that physical maps are just going out of business due to this new technology. If there has been a change, such as of location of a business or a change in traffic/closed roads, I can get past that through this technology. They can show me different routes to still get to the same location.
I definitely think maps will always be used, but with our technology they will definitely be used in a more high-tech way.
When I was trying to think of a physical change I thought about those maps as well. It seems like events and theme parks and the like give out maps to let people know where to go. They are physical distortions of what the real area looks like and what is there. They enlarge things and make the areas people want to visit obvious. They're distortions made to inform us.
ReplyDeleteYour example re: Harley is a good one; it shows you understand what was being discussed, what with the use of bigger graphics for more popular things. Second example doesn't address the question, though.
ReplyDeleteGood insight on physical maps christina! A lot o maps are used these days to emphasize the importance of specific events or attractions. I think this is definitely a huge change from what maps were used for in the past. I guess the maps we use today, and not just the digital ones, say a lot about our culture and the things in it that we value.
ReplyDeleteI like your example of distortions to physical maps. I too have seen maps to events that emphasize certain booths or venues more than others. It is obviously due to those companies that pay more, or those that are sponsors to the event. These types of maps for events, festivals, etc have intentional placements on them in order to draw visitors to certain places.
ReplyDeleteIve always noticed that businesses are not always represented fairly on a map. I must agree with you with the fact that it happens because one company probably paid more than the other one and that's why it stands out more. During my first semester at WSU I had a map of Pullman but it only showed a few business, few of the main buildings at WSU and a few of the frat, and sorority houses that probably paid a great deal of money to be expanded or distorted in a way that people will notice them more. Its always about money.
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