Since young, I was always drawn to ancient maps. When I was living in London during my undergraduate days, I enjoyed looking for old maps in the antique shops along King’s Road. Today, I have two world maps on my walls reminding me of my dream to travel the world.
Now, what if I were to tell you that all the maps I have seen had been wrong? Take a look at the world map below. Did you know that fourteen Greenlands could fit in Africa?
If you did not, just like me, you have been duped! Indeed, all the maps we are so familiar with are wildly inaccurate. To understand the technicality of why we do not have an accurate map of our world, you can watch this 5-mins TED-Ed clip: Why every world map is wrong – Kayla Wolf
“ People see what they want to see and what people want to see never has anything to do with the truth.”
– Roberto Bolaño, Chilean novelist, 1953-2003 –
Now that we know, “what we see may not be what it is after all.” Will that change how we react when interacting with others? Should we hold onto the “never compromise” attitude? What if our “truth” is not everyone’s truths? Take the world map example; the truth for so many is even far from the absolute TRUTH!
Well, it is for us to ponder in a world filled with divisions and controversies – in our everyday activities, especially when dealing with people of different “cultures and mindsets.” Lest we are misguided by our own “truths.”
