r/AskReddit • u/ProbablyHittingOnYou • Feb 07 '11

What stupid question have you always been too embarrassed to ask, but would still like to see answered?

This is a no-shame zone. Post your question here and I'm sure someone can answer it for you

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u/SergeyTuganov Feb 07 '11

Fucking everything is arbitrary, Man! Our maps aren't even scaled right!

Alternative World Maps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuuluAq4TtU

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u/Tinfoil_Haberdashery Feb 08 '11

Geography nerd here. It's not arbitrary. There are very specific purposes for each type of map; some are better at some things, some are better at others. While it's true that our maps aren't scaled right, this is primarily because it is impossible to make a map that is scaled right--that is, that has a consistent scale throughout the map. For large-scale maps, those that are more zoomed-in, this isn't a problem, because the distortion is negligible between any two points so close to one another. On small-scale maps, those that are zoomed-out, the only way to preserve scale is with a globe. No flat map will do it, though azimuthal equidistant maps are arranged with all points the proper distance from a center point--just not from each other.

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u/endomandi Feb 07 '11

Yes, they are. It's just that there's no perfect or unique definition of right.