History, the warp, and geography

Rob Gaudet was unconvinced by my defense of geography, and even dismisses my arguments about the practical aspects of geography: "Really, I fail to see how geography is an important subject in today's academia. Particularly when we have computer images, satellites, and other technical methods for mapping the world". This shows a common misconception of geography, as though it was simply cartography. That is like saying that literature is just a string of words, and we have dictionaries. Geography studies the complex relations of many activities with space, from agriculture to zoology, with many in between. Rob is enthusiastic about history, and so am I, even though as a practical guide to action it can be very misleading, like always fighting the last war. Even Ron does not stress the usefulness of history. History and geography are intertwined, as may be seen in "The Shape of the World as Map Makers Saw It" (New York Times, 3/26/02). It begins: " Life may be nothing more, or less, than series of geography lessons".

History and Geography are like the warp and woof of a textile. History is the warp, the long threads which stretch a long way back to the time when the Great Weaver started the loom with a Big Bang. Geography is the woof, the short threads which shuttle bask and forth across the limited width of our earthly loom. Who can say which is more important, the warp of the woof? Without either, the textile would fall apart. But the Great Weaver will not allow that to happen. History is the textile that is already made. The present, practical world is made by the shuttle darting back and forth. Wars occur when the shuttle goes astray and the textile is damaged by careless, incompetent workmen. People ignorant, among other things, of geography.

Ronald Hilton - 5/3/02