I spend probably 90 percent of my flying in the international arena. Through the years transitioning from round type steam powered gauges to the modern EFIS cockpits, I have noticed an alarming trend toward complacency. Maps?, "we don't need no stinking maps". With all that information right infront of us, rarely do we need to look at a map if all is going well. Well, not all goes well as often as we'd like. Now, I'm not perfect, but I do try to have all the maps available and have the pertinent one open for that sector. Looking ahead at the entry and exit points for the next country is a big help in anticipating a frequency change. I really don't like being caught with my pants down and knowing when to expect something just makes the whole job easier. Kinda like the simulator!
With so many people chatting away on 121.5, having that turned down is not a good idea, but you have to sometimes with all that excess jabbering going on.
As long as we have humans in the system, we are going to have these problems. Fortuneatly, we also have the brain power to correct our mistakes if we recognize one. A little discipline goes a long way.