Fight Ignorance! Buy a Map.

Several years ago I realized I was abysmally ignorant about the world, though I’m supposed to be smart and went to college and read a lot. “Dang, you’re ignorant,” I said to myself, “Go forth and learn.” So I went to the office supply store and bought a map of the world, which I hung in a handy spot so I would know where any given news story was taking place. I figured: It’s the whole world, it might take a while to memorize it. Then again, not a single year has passed that the borders of some country or other haven’t shifted.

Two things shocked me. One was the immensity of Russia. Most Americans think, “Sure it’s big, but it’s almost all ice and snow and nobody can live there.” That is not true, actually. People have lived, even in the coldest parts, for thousands of years. And it…