Plato: It seems that they wished to learn of wars and murders; every
kind of violation or despoilation delighted them. Information taught
them to dissemble their pleasure, however, and in its service to
retain an enquiring or sober countenance Nevertheless they dwelled lovingly
upon death and suffering.... [T]hey simply seemed to amuse themselves
by reading about the misfortunes of others. This was the essential principle
of information.
-- Plato in the year AD 3700 describing "The Age of Mouldwarp"
(c. AD 1500 - AD 2300) in The Plato Papers (1999) by
Peter Ackroyd.