I don’t *really* grok the modern Moloch meme of Ginsberg/SSC provenance 🤔
I get it intellectually but it feels like there’s something I’m supposed to viscerally appreciate that I don’t.
That makes me part of Moloch doesn’t it? Or just Moloch-blind?
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When we drive our cars and use coal-fired electricity,
and doom other poor countries to permanent climate related catastrophe,
and ourselves just enjoy a few more sunny days,
that’s moloch.
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Yes I get all that
I just don’t think there’s a there there
It’s like you have to believe in a karmic calculus to be shocked at the discovery there isn’t one
The concept is clear, the metaphysical premises seem like a matter of religious taste
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Its safe to say that when you don’t feel like you’re a sacrifice to Moloch, you’re reaping the benefits of the sacrifice.
When you’re wearing premium mediocre face powder with mica glitter you’re benefiting from the moloch of the child slaves who mined it.
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In my view the visceral punch comes from losing the ability to blame people. Seeing the Moloch-ian systems means our villains aren't the answer, being faced with fighting system/god blows up our simple culture-war/outgroup ideals.
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The Moloch meme is essentially Satanism to modernism's progress-as-far-as-the-eye-can-see Christianity. Like disillusioned Xtian teens turning very goth. I'm assuming you never found Jesus, or if you did you were led astray by Douglas Adams very early.
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Coordinating out of coordination failures leads to more coordination failures.
It's a memetic Chinese finger trap. Do you feel there's more to it?
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I would say that "we wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with powers and principalities" and "there is no enemy anywhere" point to the same thing as Moloch. If you understand it, but the metaphor doesn't spur you to action, that's fine, it's just not for you.
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