A famous Monty Python movie scene features a cast of Jewish rebels from the time of Jesus riffing about “what have the Romans ever done for us?” They grouse in unison for a minute until one guy pipes up and asks “the aqueduct?” Well, Ok, fine, says the biggest griper, but what else? Then somebody says “sanitation,” then roads, education, irrigation, of course “wine” and public order. But apart from that, they all cry again, what have the Romans ever done for us?

That might as well be the dialogue for a typical conversation...