[TeMPOraL]

My point (and probably my parent's too) is that America has dominated the shared culture for the past 100+ years (in good part thanks to Hollywood). Most people experience world maps and globes in two places: in schools, where they will be local-oriented, and in movies, which will be predominantly American.

(And if you're into science fiction, you've likely internalized the American view of Earth from space without even realizing it.)

I'm not passing judgement here - just saying that cultural influence isn't equal.

[nicoburns]

Eh, I'm not sure how much influence movies have over maps. I live in the UK which has a very significant cultural influence from the US, but the vast majority of maps I see are centered on the UK.

[TeMPOraL]

The movies won't affect your printed maps, or maps you see in serious contexts (like in classroom, or in a BBC article). But I'm willing to bet that in your day-to-day experience, you see a roughly equivalent number of maps in movies and videogames. Which, unless you have non-average watching habits, will most likely be US-made.

[nicoburns]

I probably do see a fair number of those maps, but the context matters. Such maps are usually in the background and not what I'm paying attention to. If I'm actively using a map then it's a UK centered one 99% of the time.

[TeMPOraL]

True. And I inferred the context is about seeing maps in general - which includes movies, games, advertisements, company logos, computer icons, etc. I.e. the situations in which you see depictions of the world (and mentally recognize them as such), not necessarily use them to find your way.