Peters Projection World Map

Spherical map (winkle Triple projection)

Spherical map laid flat (Mercator projection)

Lat/Long map

Peters Projection Map ("an area accurate map")

I just got my new, laminated Peters World Map.  The Peters map is interesting because it depicts the world in an "area accurate" form, meaning 10sqkm of land will take up 1sqmm on the map, for example, whether it is in North America or Africa.  A regular, more commonly found map would look more like the first three, where you can see, for example, Africa and South America appear much smaller in ratio to the land mass of North America and Europe.

When I first came across this map I was horrified to learn I'd been exposed all my life to what initially seemed to be a deliberate attempt of the "west" and the "north" to make their countries seem geographically more superior, thus inferring greater political significance on the world's stage.

Then I thought maybe it's just the way the spherical map "unrolls" that makes the top-heavy northern hemisphere stretch out further.  I think this might be partially true.  Then if you look closely at the third map, the Lat/Long map which has the latitude and longitude marked out, you can see the southern hemisphere has been ripped off.  The latitude lines not only "cut-out" before they make it all the way to -75o, the spacing between the most northern latitude lines is much greater, thus distorting the northern hemisphere an making it appear larger (this one doesn't have Antarctica in it, but if it did the space between the lat lines would still be compressed).

So apparently a lot of people were outraged when this Peters map first got released in the 1970-80s.  I've only just found it.  I'm fairly outraged on behalf of us southern hemispherians.  Not us wealthy Aussies, but the poverty-stricken south with whom I feel I identify with so much.  Outraged to learn my mind has been tricked all it's life with such an optical illusion of ?political motives.  It initially seems so benign, but I can't help thinking "What about all the other more subtle things we can't prove objectively with a tape measure?"   All the subliminal racist images regarding those people with dark skin.  A 3yo baby with a massive tummy, retracted incostal ribs, eyes bulging out (imagine images from the 1980s Ethiopia famine) - I can hardly imagine that image on a white child.  Oh but "they" are over "there".  Yeh, over there on that massive friggin continent called Africa.  Are the numbers so overwhelming (what's a few million child mortalities?) that we shut off now?

I just don't get it.

But then again I do.  I'm doing it right now.  In a way.  I'm sitting in my house that could home about 50 Burmese refugees.

I must confess, I was driving in the ambulance today past a windfarm, talking with my coworker about why people are blocking windfarms in our town (one wind turbine could power our entire town).  We decided it was due to jealously and greed, and people not believing/caring about climate change (under the guise of other arguments of course).  I then thought to myself "Well, if us humans die out then so we should.  We friggin deserve it we're so selfish and stupid."

Then I remembered that humans by nature would rather be right (as in correct) than have a favourable outcome, as unintuitive as that sounds (that's why pessimism is so addictive - you're either always right or pleasantly surprised).  So I should probably try and change my mindset.

So, I try and think like an optimist.  I believe every problem has a solution.  I'm not a defeatist yet.  What can we do?  Well, I think we can only do so much. 

Firstly, I try and wake up each morning and think about how I can be generous to others. My co-workers, my family and friends, and of course my patients.  I also have a job which contributes to the greater good of humanity (I think) and I try and utilise my work time in this way, to cultivate a more harmonious world by showing compassion, even when I really don't want to.  But even the Dalai Lama only has so much time and so much attention span.  I've seen him live, and he did get distracted at times.  I like that he's only human.

I try to lobby for what I believe in.  On this blog, with my election vote, with the occasional Facebook status update, and with the way I generally live my life.  Sometimes I even fill out a petition and I've even written to my local Member of Parliament on occasion. 

I vote with my consumerism power.  I believe the consumerist dollar is one of the most powerful things in the world.  You don't like a product because it's not Green, then don't friggin buy it.  Speak in actions rather than words.  Say you would prefer Green, Free Trade, and Cruelty Free over cheap by only buying those products.  Of course, consume LESS, but when you do, make good choices.  We can't always be perfect, but strive for 80/20 (80% "good" choices).

Inform and spread the word.  Tell people about what you do.  Sure, don't ram it down their throats.  Noone likes that.  Lead by example.  Make it attractive and "normal" to be a conscientious world citizen.  Like an add that's on the radio atm, "be enviro-normal, not enviro-mental". Show that it's not a strain to care about things.  You're not a "bleeding-heart", or a hippy tree-hugger without a job.  You're intelligent and you've got a good, strong character.  Every wants that.  Character is power.  Even the shallowest of people want that.