for a while i’ve been fascinated by how something like the shape that a particular geographic region’s borders make can become so iconic. think of tennessee. along with banjos and overalls, you probably also thought of that long, shakily-drawn trapezoid that is the geographic region of tennessee. it’s really not even a symbol. i mean a heart symbolizes love, and a dove peace, but that tennessee shape is very literal. it is an icon. i suppose i really don’t have a “lesson” from this except just to point out that we do this and i wonder what the significance is, if any. thoughts?