Mercator maps aren't used because of ego but because they are the ONLY maps that have 2 properties: 1) straight lines in reality are straight lines on the map.

Mercator maps aren't used because of ego but because they are the ONLY maps that have 2 properties: 1) straight lines in reality are straight lines on the map. Which enables the following: measure an angle on the map and walk in that direction to get to a destination (e.g. compared to THAT mountaintop, go 30degrees to it's right and walk in a straight line, to get to your destination) In all other map types (including an actual globe I might add), you have to walk a curve. A "geodesic". 2) straight lines in reality are straight lines on the map. So walking a straight line actually gets you where the line on the map is going (meaning you don't need those absurdly huge compasses to construct ellipses to approximate your path on the map that you see in certain old paintings or in some movies) But of course, the only reason someone might want these properties on maps is ego. That's the only thing.