knowledge is a commodity in our culture. it is also a control mechanism. as readily as i compose this post, people are eager to display their knowledge, sometimes to assist, sometimes to belittle, sometimes between those two points. and sometimes because they are parasitised by an authority and are compelled by the nature of their composition to act out the interests of the authority.

as a culture, we are still new to the paradigm of the internet, and the forces at play haven't necessarily reached equilibrium. using computers allows us to make our maps look like the accredited material we have had handed down to us by precedents established when computers were less available, and realism is a skill we want to be good at, and incisively dictate what realism/skill is and what it isn't, for ourselves and "for others".

i think that the increased diversity we see online in creativity will eventually lead us more towards the individual as the seat of authority, and greater tolerance towards others who diverge from our ideals. as a culture, it is going to be difficult to reach that point since the culture bears many authoritative, counterindividualist entities that may manifest through us as we participate in it.



i'm like totally into people making whatever kind of map they want. the criticism i've seen in this venue is toned waay down to what i've seen in other fields that combine creativity and technique.