New Books in Science, Technology, and Society Edward McPherson, "Look Out: The Delight and Danger of Taking the Long View" (Astra House, 2025)
Dec 13, 2025
Edward McPherson, a writer and professor known for his exploration of environment and technology, discusses his book, Look Out. He reveals the fascinating history of aerial views and bird's-eye maps, emphasizing their power and cultural implications. McPherson connects the past with modern practices, likening historic maps to today’s selfies. He also weighs the ethical dilemmas of drones and the impact of pandemic lockdowns on perception. The conversation encourages viewing both the distant and nearby to grasp the fuller picture of our world.
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Aerial View As Cultural Lens
- Edward McPherson frames the book as a cultural history of the aerial view mixing literal and metaphorical perspectives.
- He treats maps, space imagery, and big-picture thinking as interlinked obsessions that reveal how seeing shapes power.
How 19th-Century Bird's-Eye Maps Were Made
- McPherson describes 19th-century bird's-eye lithographs drawn by itinerant European-trained artists who walked towns and used classical perspective.
- These prints sold by subscription functioned as souvenirs, ads, and civic boosters despite never having been drawn from balloons.
Maps Erase As Much As They Show
- Maps reveal as much as they erase: they reflect the viewers' desires and erase indigenous presence and contested land.
- McPherson links the bird's-eye mania to a colonial gaze that framed land as 'blank' and available for settlement.
