Spirit of the Age

Summary: Cartography may have a basis in science, but even in the hands of experts and authorities, it hasn't always resulted in balanced representations of the world. This program focuses on the map as a product of the fears, dogmas, or prejudices of its age. In one segment, an antiquated map designed to help Jewish immigrants in London ironically conveys anti-Semitism. Medieval maps created out of spiritual passion show the way to heaven, the route to Jerusalem, and the regions in which monstrous children eat their parents. Victorian-era maps evoke obsessions with race, poverty, and disease, while royal cartographer James Wyld's world map awards each country a score from one to five, depending on its level of "civilization." Rounding out the program: a look at Google Earth, Worldmapper, and how they can help us see more objectively.