On Inaccurate Maps

Something that makes us human is our tendency to try to make the world less overwhelming by placing things into categories, with those things we know the least being placed in the biggest scariest buckets.

The first maps depicted known lands in relatively high detail while relegating the unknown/unexplored to large areas of empty space, sometimes occupied by sea monsters.  The map above, picked up on a trip last year to Texas reflects the attitude of many a person I met while there.

Where we are from often distorts our view of the world around us. I am from New Jersey, yet have never said "Joisee" in my life, nor have ever met anyone who pronounces it that way. Except people who are not from New Jersey who find out I'm from New Jersey and say, almost to a person, "Oh, you're from 'Joisee'."

Recently, Dharmaspoon Gal, Maebe, Django, Cadence and I took a road trip through "Miss Again", "Old High", "Canned Turkey", "Ten Seeds", All Hammy", Judgy", and finally to "Swamp Land. "

Being from the North, I confess that I had my own preconceived notions about who I may meet, how we may be treated and what we would encounter.  Think "Deliverance." I didn't want to squeal like a pig.

For some, the war between the states has never ended. In the South, you still see some signs of the Confederacy. Literally. Like giant rebel flags and monuments to various Confederate figures. It's not in your face, all the time, and when it is, it's out there. In the North, things are much more insidious. It's more a patronizing elitist attitude.

Largely I found the people I came across to be either just like the people from Miss Again, but with a Southern accent or maybe a little more outgoing. Not once did I hear banjo music and start to get freaked out. I learned some neat expressions, like "it's coming a flood" to mean it's pouring rain. In Swamp Land, I did have a guy get a little too interested in what we were ordering at the Chinese restaurant, but I think he was just being friendly.

I think that we all need to explore the terrain once in awhile to see how accurate our maps are and to update them if necessary.