your periodic reminder that “golem” is not a word you can throw around without context. i know golems are pretty ingrained as earth/elemental spirits in a lot of fantasy settings now, but i wish more people understood that golems are extremely important to jewish people in an extremely specific way.
the legend of the golem is a direct response to antisemitism in europe–specifically the blood libel; it was the golem’s job to expose asshole christians who tried to frame jews for child murder. the golem was a uniquely jewish response to a uniquely jewish problem: a sort of proto-superman who could come to our aid when all else failed. the golem is for the most part a benign protector (though there are legends of them rampaging after their rabbis lost control of them, but really, that one’s on the rabbi for not being specific enough). it is a positive and much beloved figure in jewish folklore.
so i want you to understand the full extent of jewish revulsion when we see people throwing around the word “golem” in regards to trump.
trump is not a golem. you do not get to use that word. it does not mean “vaguely human-shaped unfeeling lump of excrement trying to pass as a person.” If that’s what you’re trying to convey with the word “golem”, please just use those words instead.
Thank you for saying it! I was seeing everyone posting Cards Against Humanity’s thing and I was very unsettled by it
(Though, I was told the CAH creators were Jewish? Is that true? The usage is still incorrect and I still don’t like it, but that would put it in a less malicious light)
The head writer of CAH is Jewish and is a member of my synogogue. I didn’t see what they posted but I do know that she’s Jewish
