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Writer's pictureMarcus Nikos

You Are Lost- Until You know where you are going


The Map Is Not the Territory

"The map is not the territory is a reminder that our mental models of the world are not the same as the world itself. It’s a caution against confusing our abstractions and representations with the complex, ever-­shifting reality they aim to describe.

Mistaking the maps for the territory is dangerous. Consider the person who has a great résumé and checks all the boxes on paper but can’t do the actual job. Updating our maps is a difficult process of reconciling what we want to be true with what is true.

In many areas of life, we are offered maps by other people. We are reliant on the maps provided by experts, pundits, and teachers. In these cases, the best we can do is to choose our mapmakers wisely, to seek out those who are rigorous, transparent, and open to revision.

Ultimately, the map/territory distinction is an invitation to engage with the world as it is, not just as we imagine it to be. And remember, when you don’t make the map yourself, choose your cartographer wisely."

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