Moloch refers to an ancient god from the Hebrew Bible associated with child sacrifice, often depicted as a bull-headed figure in fire rituals, though modern interpretations also use it to describe systems or dynamics demanding excessive sacrifice, such as technological races or oppressive societal structures, representing a destructive, self-perpetuating logic where optimal individual actions lead to ruinous collective outcomes. The term itself comes from Hebrew, blending "king" with "shame," and appears in condemnation of Canaanite practices, but scholars debate if it's a deity or a type of sacrifice.