What is this "the west wing" thing? I'm 44, reasonably educated, and never heard about that.

I'd like to think you're being ironic here, but I suspect you're not, so no: the vast majority of the world is outside the US and has not, in fact, seen an obscure episode of a TV drama about American politics.

For others who haven't, here it is: https://youtu.be/vVX-PrBRtTY

Although the projection it proclaims as superior, Gall-Peters, has grievous flaws of its own.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gall%E2%80%93Peters_projection

I just learned about the equal earth projection, which was apparently invented very recently in 2023. It’s the best looking equal area projection I’ve seen.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Earth_projection

Ah, oops, that should say 2018, not 2023.

As an adult I was shocked to find out how the projection I grew up with altered my perception of my poverty-stricken country. I had no idea for my entire life that it was so much larger than other countries on the map I thought were larger. I doubt I am rare here at all.

And I have no idea what "The West Wing" is. And I doubt I am rare here at all also.

It is a TV show from 1999 that centered on the literal office of the same name that the US President holds court in.

The West Wing is not the President's office, but rather the section that contains The Oval Office, which is President's office, along with other executive offices and rooms, such as the Press Briefing room, the Situation Room, etc.

I'm in my thirties and I've never even heard of that show. I'm from Sweden, by the way.