For as long as I can remember, I have always found maps to be overwhelming. I know I know, how can something whose only intention is to give direction come off in such a way? I have never been able to put my finger on why exactly I think this, but no matter what, the combination of lines, grids, keys and all of the other various elements tend to do nothing but confuse me. When we were put in pairs and told to analyze one of the two maps we had been given, I was relieved when I was assigned 'map 2'. The lack of curvy lines, darkened features, and unfamiliar names gave a much simpler impression. There was less there to confuse me. Little did I realize, the age old saying rang true. Less was definitely more.
My initial reaction was to describe the map in front of me as vague. It was bare and had very little to it. It was not until the idea of taxes was brought up that I realized how truly definitive the map actually was. The idea of a grid had originally struck me as simple. Divided areas by a grid. A grid that we say exists, though in reality, it really doesn't. This artificial way of understanding the landscape it what helps us in deciding levels at which people undergo taxation. This map is not just a pretty picture, but something that effects the way in which the world goes round.
I also initially thought that the (second) map was extremely vague and contained little information. I had never seen a map like that one before. I had just seen the pictorial ones hung in houses or museums. Since this was my limited knowledge of maps it surprised me to see that there was so much going on on that map even though it seemed empty. I had never thought of maps being used as a way of establishing taxation. I really thought the way the numbers on the map corresponded with the chart was a clever way of providing a lot of information without it getting too jumbled. It would be extremely overwhelming if all that information was on the map. I totally agree with your last statement: "This map is not just a pretty picture, but something that effects the way in which the world goes round."
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