From The Iliad to the present day, war has always been a spectacle, particularly for those who watch from afar.

This does not mean that we like it. We may be abhorred, sickened, disgusted, but it grabs our attention. Peace talks and processes – well, they are a bit boring.

What sells newspapers and get clicks is spectacular explosions and pictures of horrendous atrocities.

In the 1991 Gulf War, we could witness the “sweet beautiful sight” of U.S. bombers taking off for “the threatening beauty” of “two days of almost picture-perfect assaults.” as “The night sky was filled with the star-spangled display of threatening force”.

We click avidly on stories about babies being turned out of incubators, hospitals bombed and babies beheaded.

Who wants to read about the meetings, negotiations and paper work involved in peace treaties, ceasefires and security guarantees.

Even worse, we might have to go beyond our rage and calls for retribution. We might have to find out a bit more about the background and accept that the other side may have some valid grievances. We might want to punish Putin, but how many more people will have to die to satisfy our personal moral desires. Sometimes, we might even have to accept that the bad guy gets away with it.

Similarly, we love to read and watch about serial killers and paedophiles – that is interesting. The victims are often too boring to even get a mention.

Our media feeds on what grabs our attention, and the more extreme the better. Don’t confuse this with being interested in peace.