Shit That I Don't Get: The Direction Up

[IGNOREME]

Unless you live in the early 1400's (in which case how do you even have a computer let alone internet) it's universally agreed upon that the earth is round. This would mean that the direction up (not up as in forward, up as in "Up in the sky")would be obsolete. Why? Because, as I have established earlier the earth is round, therefore when pointing into the sky and saying that it is "Up" in China, it could point one way while in another country it would be in a completely different direction. So basically if you say "Up" it could very well be down in a different country. So I guess what I don't get is why up is still used in the modern day.

Do you know why? Do you think I'm a complete idiot for not getting this? Or do you think I have something going here? What do you think?

 

[SuperNova221]

Surely that applies for all directions, since all directions are relative?

 

[synobal]

All directions are relative to something. Most are relative to the person who is giving or observing the direction. It's not always true though on a ship for example they have starboard and port. In every day use using up to describe anything above you isn't a problem 99.99999% of the time.

(damn I got ninjaed)

 

[thiosk]

Down is in the direction of the pull of gravity.
Up is the opposite of the pull of gravity.

It may point at utterly different directions as a three-dimensional representation of the planet, but where ever you are on the globe, "up" feels exactly the same to your brain, which has a series of evolved mechanisms to keep your body righted and able to be piloted forward.

In microgravity, there is no longer an up, and a lot of people puke as a result.

 

[CM156_v1legacy]

I'm sorry, but reading the title, I was reminded of this

Spoiler

"Shit that I don't get: the direction up" sounds like something ICP would say

OT: Because you are pointing the the oppsite direction from which things are pulled. That is why we consider it up. You are overthinking it.

 

[SillyBear]

What? All directions are relative.

 

[FallenTraveler]

Directions (as already stated) are relative to a persons position. oh, and what direction are we going when we shoot into space? Would that not be up?

 

[wordsmith]

Ok, in that case, new definition:

Up is away from the Earth's core.

Better?

 

[Mr. Gency]

Surely that applies for all directions, since all directions are relative?

Said what I was gonna say better than I would've said it.

 

[MilitaryAviation1]

The "direction" up is relative to gravity considering gravity determines the "direction" of down, but in an area such as space there is no "direction" of up because there is nothing that the "direction" up can be relative to

 

[Littlee300]

Do we really have to say "That cloud is up there with the epicenter being where I am standing"?
Sounds stupid to me honestly unless it is used in a NASA article or something similar.
Edit: And we say "Up there" We obviously mean above the person we are talking to...
With above meaning closer to the head than the foot. If we were spheres this thread would make more sense

 

[Grabbin Keelz]

Well that all depends on your perspective, otherwise that can be applied to all direction. Surely if you and I looked left we'd both be looking in different direction.

 

[Astro-Boy]

Ok, in that case, new definition:

Up is away from the Earth's core.

Better?

This essentially defines the world in spherical coordinates, where up would refer to an increase in radius.

When using this system, however, "up" to a person in the Netherlands may be "down" to a person living in Tibet. Thus still relative.

 

[Innegativeion]

New definition, out of my ass.

Up: the direction opposite the current greatest force of attraction being imposed, relative to the subject being referred to by "up"

There, all fixed.

 

[Raskolnikov34]

Up is the direction opposite the Earth's gravitational orbit, down is the direction going with it.

 

[shitoutonme]

This thread is proof that some people have far too much time on their hands.

 

[shedra]

Down is in the direction of the pull of gravity.
Up is the opposite of the pull of gravity.

This being the case, would you consider moving away from the Sun "up?"
To expand on that, if we leave the Earths gravity going up (Get far enough away to make it negligible I don't think gravity actually has a defined edge.) then move toward the Sun, are we then moving down?

It may point at utterly different directions as a three-dimensional representation of the planet, but where ever you are on the globe, "up" feels exactly the same to your brain, which has a series of evolved mechanisms to keep your body righted and able to be piloted forward.

In microgravity, there is no longer an up, and a lot of people puke as a result.

I don't have a response to this part of your post.

 

[thiosk]

Down is in the direction of the pull of gravity.
Up is the opposite of the pull of gravity.

This being the case, would you consider moving away from the Sun "up?"
To expand on that, if we leave the Earths gravity going up (Get far enough away to make it negligible I don't think gravity actually has a defined edge.) then move toward the Sun, are we then moving down?

If you are close enough to the sun to feel the force of gravity, such that your mind processes the forces, and your feet are on the floor, you're probably dead, so its irrelevant. But if you had magic boots that protected you while that close to the sun, then moving away from the sun would be up.

Otherwise, you're in microgravity, so theres no up.

 

[Merkavar]

Do you know why? Do you think I'm a complete idiot for not getting this? Or do you think I have something going here? What do you think?

Why what?

Yes!

No

I just think your thinking about it way too much and are coming off silly. like someone said earlier up is away from the gravity pull.