The Golem Lives On
Chapter 1 of the Exhibition Catalogue GOLEM: Introduction
Martina Lüdicke
What are the golems of today? The golem metaphor denotes phenomena, technologies, or inventions that get out of hand. They can become a threat once their creators lose control over them. This is relevant to many fields, including robotics, genetic research, artificial intelligence, and political movements.
The analogy between the golem and artificial intelligence is not new. The scientist Gershom Scholem named an Israeli mainframe computer "Golem Aleph" and wished the machine to remain peaceful. Today, specialists develop AI creations that simulate consciousness, store memories, or express aggression or empathy. The modern golem stands for the ambivalence of hope, skepticism, and danger in the face of the achievements of a world that is becoming increasingly technologized.
The golem became more widely known through the countless golem descendants that have been populating the cosmos of role plays and computer games since the 1970s. It first appeared in an analog version, such as in the Dungeons & Dragons game, and later in digital worlds such as Minecraft or Clash of Clans. Whether on the computer, game consoles, or tablets—iron golems, gemstone golems, and chaos golems obey the demands of their creators, but the potential to get out of control is always lurking within them.
Martina Lüdicke majored in Literature Studies and works at the Jewish Museum Berlin, where she has curated the exhibitions Chrismukka, How German is It?, The Whole Truth... Everything you always wanted to know about Jews and Snip it! Stances on Ritual Circumcision.
Citation recommendation:
Martina Lüdicke (2016), The Golem Lives On. Chapter 1 of the Exhibition Catalogue GOLEM: Introduction.
URL: www.jmberlin.de/en/node/4682
Online Edition of the GOLEM Catalog: Table of Contents
- The Golem in Berlin: Introduction by Peter Schäfer
- Chapter 1
- Current page: The Golem Lives On: Introduction by Martina Lüdicke
- My Light is Your Life: Text by Anna Dorothea Ludewig
- Avatars: Text by Louisa Hall
- The Secret of the Cyborgs: Text by Caspar Battegay
- Chapter 2
- Jewish Mysticism: Introduction by Emily D. Bilski
- Golem Magic: Text by Martina Lüdicke
- Golem, Language, Dada: Text by Emily D. Bilski
- Chapter 3
- Transformation: Introduction by Emily D. Bilski
- Jana Sterbak’s Golem: Objects as Sensations: Text by Rita Kersting
- Crisálidas (Chrysalises): Text by Jorge Gil
- Rituals: Text by Christopher Lyon
- A Golem that Ended Well: Text by Emily D. Bilski
- On the Golem: Text by David Musgrave
- Louise Fishman’s Paint Golem: Text by Emily D. Bilski
- Chapter 4
- Legendary Prague: Introduction by Martina Lüdicke
- Golem Variations: Text by Peter Schäfer
- Rabbi Loew’s Well-Deserved Bath: Text by Harold Gabriel Weisz Carrington
- Chapter 5
- Horror and Magic: Introduction by Martina Lüdicke
- Golem and a Little Girl: Text by Helene Wecker
- The Golem with a Group of Children Dancing: Text by Karin Harrasser
- Bringing the Film Set To Life: Text by Anna-Carolin Augustin
- Golem and Mirjam: Text by Cathy S. Gelbin
- Chapter 6
- Out of Control: Introduction by Emily D. Bilski
- Golem—Man Awakened with Glowing Hammer: Text by Arno Pařík
- Dangerous Symbols: Text by Charlotta Kotik
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Text by Marc Estrin
- Chapter 7
- Doppelgänger: Introduction by Martina Lüdicke
- From the Golem-Talmud: Text by Joshua Cohen
- Kitaj’s Art Golem: Text by Tracy Bartley
- The Golem as Techno-Imagination?: Text by Cosima Wagner
- See also
- GOLEM: 2016, online edition with selected texts of the exhibition catalog
- GOLEM: 2016, complete printed edition of the exhibition catalog, in German
- Golem. From Mysticism to Minecraft: Online Feature, 2016
- GOLEM: Exhibition, 23 Sep 2016 to 29 Jan 2017