On golems and sources
(Originally posted over at Google+)
Came across a very good article on the origin of "golems": "Golems: A Brief History". I had known a little about it, but it’s the meaning behind them that I didn’t get (as in golems are monstrous because only "god" can create life from nothing, not man…). That’s a pretty cool theme.
Anyway, the reason I’m sharing this is more so about the discussion surrounding it. "Cultural appropriation" is mentioned in the comments by someone and I originally saw this shared in relation to DnD… as in how DnD badly represents "golems".
I think it’s weird. I don’t think that’s what the article writer is saying. It’s more like, getting a bit of nerd-rage every time she sees someone misuse the idea of the Jewish golem. Like when the movie Thor came out and I went read up on the history of Marvel’s Thor. The disconnect between the original myths and Marvel is was pretty laughable to me (though ultimately I think some of the visuals in the movie are an amazing vision of the Aesir and their world).
I just hope people don’t read my Lost Heroes RPG project now (where in I steal from Norse, Christian, Judaism, Astura and Celtic traditions…) …