“The earth is degenerating today. Bribery and corruption abound. Children no longer obey their parents, every man wants to write a book, and it is evident that the end of the world is fast approaching.” – Assyrian tablet, c. 2800 BC
Note: Although I mostly posted this because I think it’s funny, I feel compelled to point out that there is no evidence a tablet like this ever existed or says what it claims to say, according to the folks at Quote Investigator: “This popular tale of a tablet listing eerily familiar societal criticisms has been in circulation for more than one-hundred years, and many versions of the supposed inscription have been described. The earliest instance known to QI of this prototypical claim was printed in the August 1908 issue of a periodical for bicyclists called “Bassett’s Scrap Book”. Despite that, however, it appears to be one of the oldest memes I have ever come across, which has to count for something!