I was hunting for a way in to side with your father in law. But you landed the point: friction is relative.

Digital maps clearly solve the end-goal needs for most people. But like your father in law, there’s definitely a loss in that exchange.

Bearings are incredibly useful. I remember navigating myself and my partner out of a small town on vacation by the position of the sun. It was international so we didnt have internet at the time. Im never going to live that one down!