Aside from the pretty well established benefits of having accurate historical information, is there anything about an appreciation of deep-time that is useful to us in the present? Is there something about the humbling experience of becoming aware of our temporal smallness that actually makes us better in some way, right now?
More specifically, are we really more apt to appreciate our piece of time if we are made aware of how relatively short it is? Or is "looking at old stuff" one of those events that gives us strange pleasure, but effects no real cognitive change? Humility without change is pride in disguise. I think someone said that once. If not, consider it coined.
Given MAD, why would anyone adjust their probabilities of nuclear attack, even after considering the precedent of nuclear bombardment set by the U.S? In the same act of initiating a nuclear launch, one also signs his own death sentence. As long as that statement is true, why should we touch our probabilities?