[UnderseaLcpl]

I would say that the most important mapping tool in the history of mankind is the satellite, but I understand what you mean.

"May you live in interesting times" was indeed a Chinese curse, but the fact of the matter is that on a global scale it is far better to live in interesting times than in uninteresting ones, imo.

Interesting times are times of social dynamism and progress, uninteresting times are when we revert back to the same boring structure we've been using for most of the past 7,000 years; where peasants toil endlessly for the benefit of the elite and innovation is rare.

For want of interesting times, China languished in isolation and dynasty for thousands of years, and was ultimately subjugated; first by the Europeans, and then by the Nationalists, and then by the Communists, and finally by the West again.

Take a lesson from Carrol's Red Queen; you have to run to stay in the same place. This is a lesson that nation after nation and empire after empire has failed to learn. Only free minds and free markets allow us to run. Trying to rest on our laurels and set in stone the order of things will only ever bring about our downfall.

May we live in interesting times.