not really u.s. geography, but i sometimes wonder about the old upside-down map thing. since maps are showing us what we can't see with our eyes, how do they affect our vision of where we see ourselves. the upside-down map shows australia on the top and europe on the bottom. this is a bit of fun for australians (reminds me of barnum barnum claiming england in 1988), but it makes me think further away into space and if we map space in the same way. growing up in the southern hemisphere is lonely. when we are taught about the northern hemisphere being the top of the world at least it feels that way. i want to ask if the nomenclature of the west in the u.s. has something to do with image and distance from "civilisation" rather than compass direction?