Globe—Why Mapquest Just Isn’t The Same

Globe—Why Mapquest Just Isn’t The Same

Anyone who has ever played the board game Risk and then tried to play the computerized version can tell you that there is no comparison—it doesn’t even seem like the same game. The same is true about the difference between a magnificent globe and some computerized rendition of the planet on a computer screen—these two extremes are worlds apart. Even though a service like Mapquest may well provide a far more accurate picture and “real world” mapping capabilities, the purpose of a lavish globe is not to serve as a map.

World globes are symbols and a computerized version can be more accurate, give you driving direction—heck, tell you about the weather—but it makes no difference because the point of a globe really is to stimulate the imagination. In many cases, a magnificent globe sitting atop some executive’s desk is really a status symbol—but sitting atop a child’s desk—a globe is a portal to adventures they have yet to take. In a word, a world globe is about possibilities.

This is why a lavish globe makes the perfect gift during the holidays. If you are looking for something for your father but just can’t ever seem to find something that he truly wants, you may be surprised to see how much his eyes light up when he opens up his present and finds an illuminated desk globe! Or, if he is into somewhat more “dignified” gifts, then try surprising him with an antique world globe to display in his den or office.

The fact is that even in this age of technology where we all have GPS systems mounted to the dash of our vehicles, the allure of the magnificent globe has not faded. Sales at Replogle, the largest globe maker on the planet, did not plummet when Mapquest began supplying pictures of the world. In fact, if anything, people wanted globes more than ever once such services began offering digital versions of the planet.

People may love to use technology as a tool but when it comes to things involving the imagination, they tend to love something that they can actually see AND touch. So, when you are out shopping this Christmas for gifts, remember that a lavish globe will be warmly received even if it doesn’t seem “practical”. After all, we have to be practical seemingly every minute of the day anyway—sometimes people just like to kick back and look at a magnificent globe on their desk and wonder, “What if….”