What sphinx of cement and aluminium bashed open their skulls and ate up their brains and imagination?Moloch! Solitude! Filth! Ugliness! Ashcans and unobtainable dollars! Children screaming under the stairways! Boys sobbing in armies! Old men weeping in the parks!
Moloch! Moloch! Nightmare of Moloch! Moloch the loveless! Mental Moloch! Moloch the heavy judger of men!
Howl, Allen Ginsberg
Moloch is a metaphor.
Moloch is the metaphorical god of finite games, unhealthy competition and coordination failure.
Moloch is an unseen force, an emergent property of the complex system we create between all our interactions as human beings.
Moloch is the embodiment of the tragic and inexorable logic of multipolar traps, where entities acting in their own self-interest lead to collectively detrimental outcomes.
When individuals striving for social approval increasingly depend on beauty filters to meet unrealistic beauty standards, propagating insecurities and distorting self-perception, that is Moloch.
When spectators at sporting events stand to gain a better view, compelling those behind them to do the same and collectively obstructing the view for everyone, diminishing the experience for all, that is Moloch.
When each individual opting to use personal vehicles for convenience, contributes to burgeoning traffic congestion, reducing overall mobility and increasing commute times for the entire community, that is Moloch.
When companies, driven by the profit motive, over-exploit natural resources, pushing ecological systems to the brink of collapse, that is Moloch.
When nations, in pursuit of security, engage in an arms race, escalating tensions and risking widespread destruction, that is Moloch.
When political parties prioritise electoral gains over public welfare, propelling policies that deepen societal divisions and hinder progress, that is Moloch.
When pharmaceutical companies prioritise profit, leaving life-saving drugs inaccessible to those in need and perpetuating suffering, that is Moloch.
When consumer culture propels individuals to incessant acquisition and comparison, intensifying feelings of inadequacy and discontent, that is Moloch.
When social media networks capitalise on divisive content to maximise user engagement, corroding societal cohesion and shared reality, that is Moloch.
When the global community, despite shared interests in peace and sustainability, succumbs to conflicting national interests, leading to inaction and mutual harm, that is Moloch.
That is Moloch.
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The Parrhesia Diaries 