How come people in the south pole do not feel like they're upside down?

Question

I don't understand why people assume I'm trying to insult someone, who would I be insulting? The penguins? Its a serious question, I know that some people on the planet are on their side, and some appear to be upright and others upside down. But thats why I was asking the question. For those of you that are too smart for your own good, all I wanna know is why do some all people feel upright when its obvious we are not. Is that specific enough for you?

I was asking it according to my point of view. Wouldnt it be silly if I asked "how come I do not feel upside down right now?"

Answer 1

The earth is such a huge sphere, that our brains interpret the land beneath our feet as flat--even though we have figured out it isn't true. Gravity attracts our bodies toward the very center of the earth, no matter where on the surface of the sphere we are standing. Our brains interpret that direction as "down". Our perception is, that the "flat" land beneath our feet is at right angles to "down".
North and South related to the poles of rotation were interpreted as "Up" and "Down" by map makers using flat surfaces. They could have just as easily have made maps with the South Pole as "Up" on the map. However, most early map makers were in the northern hemisphere, used the North Star for navigation, and then compasses that pointed to the North magnetic pole---so it was just convenient for the North Pole to be "Up" on a flat map--or even a globe.
But, as you point out, the sensory part of our brains just doesn't feel it--it feels the pull of gravity towards the center of the earth as the real "Down"--not the map "Down".

Answer 2

Your "vertical" position on the earth (right-side up or upside down) is a relative position to the center of the gravitational attraction acting upon you by the earth's mass. There is no absolute down, up left, right, etc. in the sense you might think. Another wonderful example of how Eistein's Special Theory of Relativity answered so many questions.

Answer 3

Are you joking, or being serious? The answer is because they are not upside down. Anyone standing on the surface of the earth (which is round by the way) is right side up. The laws of gravity are in effect all over the earth. Think about it--why aren't you upside down compared to someone on the opposite side of the earth?

Answer 4

The earth rotates on the poles so they never go upside down, or right side up ...they are at an angle

Answer 5

Because it does not matter.
True north is only a way for us to get our bearing.
The earth rotates at a little over 1000 mph.
It is gravity that keeps us from flying off into space.

"The Earth is traveling through space at a speed of about 15miles/sec (approximately)"

Answer 6

the world is round and turns. So, sometimes the South Pole is upside down and sometimes the North Pole is! It's all turning and everyone gets their turn at being upside down but u dont notice it!

Answer 7

well according to space, we all are upside down at one point or another... How do you know in the whole scheme of things in the universe if we are right side up, or whatever.... lol

Answer 8

how come people in america don't feel like they're standing on one side or leaning?? if you think that way, then for you: the only people who should feel like they're standing up straight are people living in the north pole! you're a funny guy! hehe...

Answer 9

people in the south would consider us to be standind upside down. since gravity is ancoring us down to the ground our sense of perception considers the ground to be down any where in the planet

Answer 10

Because they aren't. The same gravitational pull that keeps us upright keeps them upright.