The goal of a map is to represent reality and to make it easier to orient yourself. The goal of math is often just math. Eventually, someone finds a way to util

The goal of a map is to represent reality and to make it easier to orient yourself. The goal of math is often just math. Eventually, someone finds a way to utilize some esoteric calculations and properties in a field or two. No one is bothered that math is often out of sync with perceivable (in the Common Sense way, at least) world. But Mercator's projection can be misleading. It's not like a metro map - it looks quite natural and people assume it can be taken literally.