Geography of the Mind

Geography is a field that deals with space and its manifestations in our planet, and for those interested in more than that, the universe. There is a significant amount of regionalism involved especially recently with the amount of local growth taking place. Florida is a great example of this growth which more often than not feels more like cancer than responsible urban planning. Take this local geography one step further and the individual comes into play.

Humans perceive their world around them in different ways. Do they think of the world as they think of themselves or is it the opposite? For example a person from Colorado who moves to Florida would perceive the land as different(mountainous to coastal.) Does a change like this alter his perception of self? If it is not possible to go this far then does it affect his day to day movements and thoughts? This is even more relevant when thinking about nationalism in relation to geography. New Yorkers for example who claim Italian heritage be it second, third, or fourth generation. The world cup brought this out more than ever with the cheering fans using a sort of sports related nationalism to associate themselves with a place(as well as the people who occupy it.) Most of these New Yorkers may have never been to Italy or don't even speak a word or two of Italian, but when asked they will still associate themselves with a self-perceived homeland and an allegiance to it which in reality does not exist or affect day to day events. Puerto Ricans are good example of this as well. This is a perceived mental geography of the mind that in reality shows no tangible evidence or connectivity.

More time should be dedicated to analyzing and interpreting this human characteristic.