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An Arknights thought
Oct. 5th, 2023 02:59 amEven on the misinterpreting-fiction website, I never see anyone misinterpret or miss the point of Platinum’s backstory. People always get exactly what it means, even if they don’t have the words to describe it.
To try to sum it up myself, there’s an idea Rationalists call Moloch. Imagine a society where everyone makes what seem to be rational decisions, but they combine into an overall situation that hurts everyone. Everyone would be better off if society changed, but nobody can coordinate well enough to change it. This society, intended by no one, is the same result you’d get if a demon intended to create a society where everyone suffered for his amusement, and Moloch is the name used for the metaphorical demon. Doing things that entrench this society even further is referred to as “serving Moloch.”
Platinum’s backstory is about her realizing that every level of power and influence in her society has been consumed by Moloch, from ordinary people up to the leaders. There is never a point where you climb high enough to be happy or safe, and both people like Platinum who serve Moloch and people like her bosses who initially seem to be Moloch are just cogs in the system.
To try to sum it up myself, there’s an idea Rationalists call Moloch. Imagine a society where everyone makes what seem to be rational decisions, but they combine into an overall situation that hurts everyone. Everyone would be better off if society changed, but nobody can coordinate well enough to change it. This society, intended by no one, is the same result you’d get if a demon intended to create a society where everyone suffered for his amusement, and Moloch is the name used for the metaphorical demon. Doing things that entrench this society even further is referred to as “serving Moloch.”
Platinum’s backstory is about her realizing that every level of power and influence in her society has been consumed by Moloch, from ordinary people up to the leaders. There is never a point where you climb high enough to be happy or safe, and both people like Platinum who serve Moloch and people like her bosses who initially seem to be Moloch are just cogs in the system.
