BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 03:15 AM

To clarify above -

for 'It as actually mes'

please read 'It was actually me'

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 09:34 PM

===Reminds me of a very famous cartoon by Jules Pfeiffer in the New Yorker

I think Don touched on the correction for this.===

It as actually mes, & I only make this claim to reiterate that his name was Feiffer, not Pfeiffer.

- Michael

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 06:14 PM

Well you have to remember that of the white Americans, 25% are Spanish speaking, and the other 75% are Irish!

☺☻


Just joking ☺ ☺ ☻

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 05:53 PM

"some of you you Americans really do have oddly thin skins."

Yeah - failure to cope with having the piss ripped out of you would be no good around the folk I frequent with! Self-ridicule & ridiculing your mates is a national pass-time.

Perhaps this map touches on stuff that's too 'true' for some? As America is (here at least) generally perceived as being both culturally insular and aggressive in terms of it's international relations.

The Americans that I've met personally, tend to say that exact kinda stuff (in much stronger terms though). So I know (and from lots of other sources too!) that the 'Map' is not *universally representative* of all Americans, just the autistic common denominator mind-set - which as I said before could equally easily be conjoured up for dumb "Brits".

But it's weird that anyone would actually take it *personally*. I suspect sometimes when watching these threads on MC, that all that nationalistic 'May God Bless America' ritual brainwashing stuff, may seep a bit too deep sometimes?

Should I get into my bunker now?

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 05:24 PM

Frankly, I would like to see her transported to the Land of the Evil-Doers myself. I'd love to see her trudging around in a burkha. But Alaska is actually less like America#1 and more like Uninhabited World, only with guns.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Smedley
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 05:12 PM

I lke it here in Pussy World. Sarah Palin doesn't live here.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 05:10 PM

Take that back, Smedley. Don't make me come over to Pussy World and plant a nuke in your letter box.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 05:09 PM

Reminds me of a very famous cartoon by Jules Pfeiffer in the New Yorker

I think Don touched on the correction for this. Will Fly, the artist was Saul Steinberg, not Pfeiffer. The New Yorker cover. He did many other similar "maps."

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Smedley
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 05:06 PM

"Was there some sort of poll taken to determine that Americans see the world as depicted in that graphic? I must've missed it."

------------------------------------------

For the citizens of a country that gets to run the world (at least until China sorts itself out), some of you you Americans really do have oddly thin skins.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 04:59 PM

"I get the sense that far more people in the US get offended when the piss gets taken out of them "

True enough, it would appear - but that can be seen as a kind of humility. Real arrogance maybe goes with self-deprecation. In order to be truly at ease with it, you need to think that you actually are pretty good.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: fumblefingers
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 03:47 PM

Was there some sort of poll taken to determine that Americans see the world as depicted in that graphic? I must've missed it.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 04:47 PM

I want to see the Palin map. I am especially interested in Putin's ugly head.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: CarolC
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 02:04 PM

And you're entitled to yours, Artbrooks.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: SINSULL
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 12:31 PM

I wish people would be clearer when expressing opinions vs. providing factual information. Keeping in mind that Obama is black and was elected by the American people it is hard to justify some of the opinions expressed here. But I would be happy to review facts supporting the statements.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: SINSULL
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 11:23 AM

Actually, all of it is incorrect. The map I have was printed in a university newspaper in the 20s. I will have to dig it out.
I have a poster of the Steinberg map as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 11:10 AM

Does anyone remember Randy Newman's song Political Science from the 1970's ?

Kinda funny.

No one likes us-I don't know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around, even our old friends put us down
Let's drop the big one and see what happens

We give them money-but are they grateful?
No, they're spiteful and they're hateful
They don't respect us-so let's surprise them
We'll drop the big one and pulverize them

Asia's crowded and Europe's too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada's too cold
And South America stole our name
Let's drop the big one
There'll be no one left to blame us

We'll save Australia
Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo
We'll build an All American amusement park there
They got surfin', too

Boom goes London and boom Paris
More room for you and more room for me
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town
Oh, how peaceful it will be
We'll set everybody free
You'll wear a Japanese kimono babe
And there'll be Italian shoes for me

They all hate us anyhow
So let's drop the big one now
Let's drop the big one now

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Donuel
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 10:38 AM

By the way my BUSH map can be enlarged with your clicking, up to a full 6 sq feet.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Donuel
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 10:34 AM

The Onion map of Ethniclashistan is also funny.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 10:29 AM

Britain is divided into 4 nations.

1 The Welsh, who keep the Sabbath, and anything else they can lay their hands on.

2 The Scots, who pra(e)y on their knees, and on their neighbours.

3 The Irish, who don't always know what they believe in, but are willing to die for it.

4 The English, who profess to be a nation of self-made men.
This takes a terrible weight of the shoulders, of the almighty.

Hows that for sterotyping?

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Monique
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 10:15 AM

Strange maps and the world seen from Paris. Xenophobe's Guide, funny booklets about some nationalities seen from other people's perspectives that tell as much about those who watch as those who are watched.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Donuel
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 10:08 AM

here it is

http://usera.imagecave.com/donuel/don/BUSHMAP.jpg

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Donuel
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 10:04 AM

Steinberg did the America as seen from NY
Fieffer probably did a map but it does not come to mind.

I did a map of the Middle East as "found" in a Bush doctrine memo.
Hmmm where is it?

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 09:55 AM

Did I misread above, or did someone say that Jules Feiffer [misspelt] was responsible for the famous New Yorker cover map of the world. There may have been more then one, but surely the celebrated one was by Saul Steinberg?

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: SINSULL
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 09:34 AM

The populations map is eye opening, even a little frightening.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 09:06 AM

The Mark Newman maps, linked by Jim Dixon above, are what I like to mull over.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Donuel
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 09:05 AM

in the absensce of an edit function





The famous New Yorker cover shows America as seen from NYC.
It's a classic. I have a 5 foot version of it framed.

POV humor is a revelation of the extreme egocentrism in the human condition.

YOU and i, EVERYDAY, have ideas that shape our thought processes, which may in fact be totally unfounded because we are unaware of certain facts and relationships or because we accept a POV which has gone unchallenged in our life.

Yet even this point of view goes largely ignored. We opt for the easy path of "knowing what we know and that is all we need to know".

When a person full of this egocentric ignorance steps into the arena of celebrity, such as Sarah Palin, we recognize the foibles of ego driven points of view. She can weigh in on Foreign policy with virtually no knowledge and we scoff. People who see themselves in her, cheer for her and themselves.

It is both funny and sad that she can denounce Al Gore as an opportunistic liar, or critisize Albert Einstein as an wierd guy who could not even comb his hair. But, on average, that is as smart as American culture is today.

Average is the dangerous part of Democracy.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Donuel
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 08:56 AM

The famous New Yorker cover shows American as seen from NYC.
It's a classic.

POV humor is a revelation of the egocentrism of the human condition.

YOU and i, EVERYDAY, have ideas that shape our thought processes which may in fact be totally unfounded because we are unaware of certain facts and relationships or because we accept a POV which has gone unchallenged in our life.

Yet even this point of view goes largely ignored. We opt for the easy path of "knowing what we know and that is all we need to know".

When a person full of this egocentric ignorance steps into the arena of celebrity, such as Sarah Palin, we recognize the foibles of ego criven point of views. She can weigh in on Foreign policy with virtually no knowledge and we scoff. People who see themselves in her cheer.

It is both funny and sad that she can denounce Al Gore as an opportunistic liar or critisize Albert Einstein as an wierd guy who could not even comb his hair. But,on average, that is as smart as American culture is today.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: artbrooks
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 08:40 AM

You are, of course, always entitled to your opinion, CarolC.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: SINSULL
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 08:16 AM

The map, by the way, is funny. I have the Pfeiffer map of New York City - that too is funny and closer to the truth. Both say as much about the cartographer as they do about the brunt of the joke.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: SINSULL
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 08:04 AM

"Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Little Hawk - PM
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 01:57 PM

The reason that Africa is not shown on the original map that led off this thread is that it would be shown as a large black continent labelled with a politically unacceptable word.

That is the way Africa is seen from the USA. "

I honestly do not know a single person who sees Africa that way. What is your source, LH?

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 07:23 AM

"How come the baseball world series is always won by an American team?"

the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series twice .... 1992 and 1993.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: CarolC
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 05:19 AM

The majority of people in the US do display the attitude toward the rest of the world that is illustrated by the map, Artbrooks. You perhaps don't, but as I said, the minority, by virtue of the extremely large number of people in this country, is quite large. But it's not the majority.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Smedley
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 04:28 AM

And how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood ?

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 04:13 AM

How come the baseball world series is always won by an American team?

And why is Mr Universe always a human?

:D (eG)

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Stu
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 03:17 AM

" It should not be forgotten that until relatively recently in history the English were under the sublime impression that the Universe revolved around London, England!"

Not quite true. Londoners always have and always will think the country and quite possibly the universe revolves around them. Everyone else out in the rest of the nation simply lets them get on with it. As for England being the natural ruler of mankind - let's hope not!

One thing you can never accuse the English (and the Welsh, Scots and Irish) of is lack of self-deprecation though. The ability to laugh at ourselves is one of our greatest strengths, and we enjoy having our foibles fingered by all and sundry. I get the sense that far more people in the US get offended when the piss gets taken out of them (as has happened in this thread).

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Smokey.
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 11:51 PM

London?? That's in the south, and everyone knows God is a Yorkshireman. Deep down.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 11:31 PM

That song Flanders and Swan did about the English is hilarious. It should not be forgotten that until relatively recently in history the English were under the sublime impression that the Universe revolved around London, England! Alas, the United States and Russia consigned them to a sort of minor power status after 1945. It was very chastening. Some English people, though, like my good friend Penelope Rutledge, still see England as the apotheosis of all that is best, the natural ruler and benefactor of humankind, and the undeniable center of the world. I think Penelope would find the song very much in tune with her own thoughts on the matter.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 11:10 PM

This page shows a series of very interesting maps, created by Mark Newman of the University of Michigan. He has maps of the US (excluding AK and HI) where the sizes of states are adjusted to represent population. He then colors them to represent the results of the 2008 presidential election.

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/2008/

There are some interesting maps on this page, including world maps:

http://odt.org/mcart/index.cgi?code=3&cat=1

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 11:08 PM

I like to remind Texans that things could be worse: Alaska could divide itself into two- and then Texas would be Number THREE in size.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Smokey.
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 10:40 PM

"I'd like to see the same thing done from an equivalently myopic "English" perspective."(CS)

Here's the musical equivalent from Flanders and Swann playing Broadway in 1967:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ro1aD3rT0E

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: GUEST,999
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 09:27 PM

Another map.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: artbrooks
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 08:53 PM

Somewhere around I have a similar map that appeared in the Seattle Times back in the mid-70s. Of course, that one reflected reality a bit more than the Texans'...

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: JennieG
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 08:48 PM

Rowan, I have an idea I may have seen something similar with Oz as the centre!

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Rowan
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 08:41 PM

Satire seems to cause problems with some people's sense of humour. I've seen similar maps from various 'points of view'; the New Zealanders' take on Oz bears some comparisons with the map in the OP.

And, as for some Texan's view of the size of their state, until the early 70s I could take some delight in reminding such Texans that, in the Northern Territory, there were three cattle stations each of which was larger than Texas. But that was then.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Charley Noble
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 08:37 PM

JohninKansas-

Now that is a well designed map, from Texans' point of view.

The other maps I've found are really pathetic graphical representations of the mental maps folks here have in their heads.

One of the most interesting maps was designed by William Bunge back in the early 1970's which showed where people lived in the world (population density), rather than land mass. It was amazing to see how certain "important" parts of the world became submerged in the ocean of non-population, barely islands rather than continents. But maybe you needed to be there to appreciate the overview.

Another interesting test is to ask people to draw a map of the world, and it is predictable that large portions of the world will end up as "the great unknown."

I'm no longer sure if I could draw an accurate map of the United States, although that was once a requirement to survive graduate school in geography. The other requirement was to be able to refold a map of the world into its original configuratation in less than a minute. These were important survival skills!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 08:13 PM

JohninKansas, Texans take it hard no longer being the largest state, eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 08:06 PM

In other words, if your country is too big, it's hard to see past it. Unless you're Sarah Palin. She can see Russia from her backyard. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 07:27 PM

The rule seems to be that the smaller the country the more likely people there are likely to know stuff about the rest of the world and what is going on there.

Americans are under a very severe disadvantage in this respect, as are the Chinese and the Russians.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 06:32 PM

Oh, come along now chaps! Nothing to get too precious about here. Being able to chortle at humorous lampooning of one's national cliche's is part and parcel of appreciating the variety of one's err inherited or collective cultural baggage, so to speak. Like I said above, I'd like to see the same thing done from an equivalently myopic "English" perspective. It would be just as funny.

Subject: RE: BS: Map of the World, as seen from the USA
From: artbrooks
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 06:20 PM

LH, I assumed that you were included in the part that said "many non-Americans". Please advise me if that is incorrect.