It's true that if you are lost, staring at uncomprehendingly at a compass in your hand would be pure futility. Both maps and compasses require some sort of background knowledge to use them properly and if you are already disoriented in your "mental map" of where you are at present, then re-orienting yourself on a paper map is a skill not everyone has. It's also true that the fewer the landmarks you can see, the more skill is required.

However, a GPS is not exactly foolproof either. You have to know how to use it, just like any tool, so a novice who hasn't properly learned how to use a GPS will be just as flummoxed as a newbie who has no clue how to use a compass and map.

It all goes to show that in the quest to make foolproof tools, the fools are always going to have an unfair advantage.