Part 2/8:
An illustrative example is a simple plastic globe and a close-up photograph of it. When asked which way is “up” and which is “down,” most would instinctively choose the top and bottom. However, once the photograph is uncropped, the perceived orientation changes, revealing that “up” and “down” are not absolute but relative terms, dependent on your frame of reference.
The challenge for Flat Earth advocates arises because they assume a fixed “top” and “bottom” based solely on how maps are traditionally drawn—often with the North Pole at the top. But historically, map orientations have varied: some maps placed South at the top, others East, depending on cultural or practical reasons, such as the rising sun.