Why do maps mirror our society?

So how does it work? I assume people reading this in English are perhaps familiar with the term liberal arts education. Nevertheless, higher education in Czechia functions differently. In liberal arts education, I have to register for classes before each semester based on my choice across various study areas. Sometimes classes fill up, and so I have to search for another class, and that is how I signed up for “Writing as Inquiry” class through the lens of Cartography (cartography defined as the science or art of making maps).
To be honest, I would never say that for the whole 4 months I’d be studying maps. The first class began with a question: Define a map! I thought of a piece of paper that’s purpose is to get me from point A to point B. As I quite soon after found out, a map is not just a piece of paper. A map embodies deeper societal relationship, being so powerful that it leaves its mark even on a map. All assume a map is an objective representation of reality; but this particular relationship defines it, and so transforms a seemingly objective matter, into a highly subjective depiction of reality. A map shows much more than one can anticipate. To demonstrate: during a map creation process, an author has to decide which places to exclude and on the other hand, which places to emphasize. What is the level of simplification, or how much detail is required for each specific map to be considered precise? Answers to these questions are simply shaped by deeper societal ties. 
Many indigenous lands in South America are not depicted in official maps. No matter what opinion you hold; whether these lands are or are not included carries an aspect of subjectivity. States’ borders do not represent a factual physical barrier; they rather reflect a specific area of land constituted by agreement between governments – if not, you’d be only drawing a red line on a piece of paper. Interestingly enough, border disputes historically served as a catalyst to a myriad of conflicts.  And what about a simple timetable, can it be considered subjective? Here again, someone had to decide how to organize certain types of information in a way that is simple and most understandable to most. Representing information leads me to a deeper role of maps: to show information and their relationship. And it is exactly the relationship that is defined by either individuals or groups subjectivity.
I’ve been asked to define a map at the end of the semester again. No longer was it just a piece of paper, a map became a visual representation of particular relationship between spatial elements that is based on various cultural, societal and political norms. Don’t get scared of this definition, what matters is that it was no longer just a piece of paper. 
And why does it matter you might ask yourself. For those who find maps exciting, studying cartography can be a great experience, but for those who encounter maps only in a form of ‘Google Maps’, isn’t studying maps a waste of time? I think certainly not. I learnt how to research information about a topic that I knew nothing about, and even write 1000 word essays. I was able to improve information synthesis and building arguments – all about maps. And again, I realized that things around us are not what we consider them to be. We often accept the world as it is, objective, factual and therefore immune against any possible changes or improvements.  But as maps tell us, the world is indeed relative, defined by deeper social contracts that we can’t see the wood for the trees. Simply said, reality can be whatever we imagine it to be. 
The beauty of liberal arts education does not only lie in the ability to choose subjects, but also coming across academic fields that are often a domain of devotees. One develops critical thinking skills, learns how to work with information and at least tries to understand the world in 21st century. And so I say, liberal arts might be difficult to grasp for people living in this country, and yet it provides a unique way of learning that seems to be vital at the present time.