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Moloch is the personification of terrible systems or situations in society that everyone hates but don't get fixed.
Originally the name of a Canaanite god which received child sacrifices, Allen Ginsberg used Moloch to symbolize the state of industrial civilization in his poem "Howl".
The blogger Scott Alexander popularized the term as it is commonly used by many rationalists, although it was already in occasional use by historians and economics to describe systemic issues within or caused by their respective fields.
The term is often used by particularly condescending rationalists to talk down to public servants, academics, and occasionally founders of startups who are trying their best to change the world for the better but likely have no real power to do so.
Very often with capitalism, business practices are set by Moloch: No one person has any influence over the matter.
Oh, you're in welfare policy research? I thought Moloch had already eaten all the value there.
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Demon robot from the popular TV series "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer".
Season 1, episode 8.
- Dude, d'ya see BtvS?
- Yeah Alyson was totally ridin' Moloch bro!
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The demon inside Skid and Pump's attic
Skid: Let's do a prank call!
(Teleport to the attic)
(They summon Moloch)
Pump: It's Spooky Month!
(Moloch starts doing the spooky dance)
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Literally: The vengeance of death
More accurately: The Avenger Of Deaths
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