The Peters Projection World Map

Here's the latest bulletin from the Phantom's latest enthusiasm, "West Wing": 
Periodically, the White House senior staff is commanded to listen to ordinary citizens who do not usually have access to the higher echelons of government, in an effort to nod toward the populism which is supposed to characterize the Democratic party. 

C.J., the press secretary has to listen to a presentation by map makers who assert the standard classroom maps we all know from grade school are subtly deceptive and make American kids think we are more important than we really are.  When you see the projection of what the real land masses are to scale, you realize how big Africa is and how small the United States and Europe. (Of course, if you own a globe, you already know this.) C.J., who has entered this session with all the enthusiasm of a patient approaching a root canal, is transfixed and you can see her mind opening.

But the best part is when they show the same map, called the "Peters Projection," "upside down" i.e., with the southern hemisphere on top.  C.J.'s mind is not so open she can accept this. "It's just not right!" she stammers. And we are with her.

Not Peters Promection, but Upside Down

Presumably, Pope Francis, who hails from South America, would not have the same perceptual problem with South America being on top.

It's one of those things which good fiction can do--it makes you see things differently. Throughout the rest of the episode are the speeches about how America is an idea, about what real patriotism and real treason mean, and scenes about the meaning of family and notions of loyalty which veer toward sloppy sentimentality, but work because this is an Aaron Sorkin show and it's essentially sweet and affecting.

However you feel about the fraught relationship the President has with his middle daughter, or about Sam's conflict over the discovery his father is a human being with clay feet, you can still marvel at the geography lesson, which is slyly juxtaposed with off hand comments about protesters outside the National Geographic society office and everyone asking: Who could find anything to protest about people who make maps and a magazine about geography?

Well, now you can see.