Do you know what I asked myself when I was reading Human Wayfinding? “If I was time-traveled to the days of Lewis and Clark, Magellan, or even Louis Joliet knowing what I do today, would I use my instincts like these ants and rats that Morville is comparing me to or would I have a panic attack that my iPhone isn’t getting signal and there are no signs around?”
If I was thrown into the woods, mountains, desert, etc. I would not be able to tell you whether moss grows on the East or West side of a rock, would not be able to tell you how to navigate to the nearest river, and would not be able to tell you what the name of that gigantic mountain is. Our society has lost our sense of direction and instincts. The closest I got to reading a map was the scavenger hunt in elementary school and the subway map when I was in Europe. Even with the convenience of GoogleMaps, we seem to take advantage of being able to travel the streets of Europe, Asia, etc. And if we want to learn more about the Arc de Triumph, it’s just a click away. The maps continue throughout the internet. Have you ever just started clicking and clicking then realize you had no idea how you got to the website? It’s because the map connects you to the first site. The roads are the hyperlinks and our mouse are our feet.
No comments:
Post a Comment