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The idea that humans are the worst navigators ever is rather silly. Humans who actually explore the world without being spaced out by their smartphone can roam
by burlesona 6y ago
The idea that humans are the worst navigators ever is rather silly. Humans who actually explore the world without being spaced out by their smartphone can roam and find their way back perfectly well.
But navigation is like a muscle, and most of us have allowed it to atrophy because it’s easy to just mindlessly follow what your GPS of choice tells you to do.
I don’t think the “humans can’t navigate” premise of this article would have passed as plausible a mere thirty years ago.
- jmchuster 6y agoHuh? The article devotes several paragraphs talking about how good humans have been at navigating and lists multiple feats as evidence.
- burlesona 6y agoQuote: > The second is that the creatures with a credible claim to being the worst navigators on the planet have steadily reduced the odds of all the others getting where they need to go, by interfering with their trajectories, impairing their route-finding abilities, and despoiling their destinations. Those feckless creatures are us, of course.
- swsieber 6y agoIt's definitely a skill. I play minecraft infrequently with my brother in law and he can retrace his steps in the nether (and in the overworked) with complete ease. I in the other hand struggle.
- throwawayboise 6y agoI find if I go somewhere with my phone navigating, I have much less of a sense of how to backtrack. If I use written directions or a paper map, I can usually get back with little difficulty.