Margus Lattik: Through the lens of technology, totalitarianism isn't such a bad idea

Writer Margus Lattik, who publishes under the pen name Mathura, discusses how Stanisław Lem's ideas warn society against delegating moral and ethical decisions to algorithms and machines. Who is responsible when a machine decides? This opinion piece examines the dangerous link between technology and totalitarianism.

Can totalitarianism seem attractive if its face is a pure algorithm? Writer Margus Lattik, who publishes under the pen name Mathura, poses this uncomfortable question, drawing on the intellectual legacy of Polish science fiction author Stanisław Lem.

Decision-making without a face

Lem repeatedly emphasized in his works that society should not cede its moral and ethical decisions to nameless and faceless systems, even when it seems to bring practical benefits or efficiency. According to Lattik, this is more relevant today than ever, as artificial intelligence and automated systems increasingly penetrate collective decision-making processes.

From a mouse click to a vast system

The problem begins small: one consent, one click, one convenience. Gradually, responsibility shifts from human to machine, and at some point no one knows anymore who actually decided. Lattik warns that it is precisely this diffusion of responsibility that creates fertile ground for authoritarian systems-not necessarily imposed by force or violence, but quietly, offering technical optimization.

The question of accountability

If an algorithm decides, who is responsible? This is the question Lattik's opinion piece seeks to answer. Lem's literary warning rings especially sharp today: technological progress is not ethically neutral in itself, and every system that removes the human from the decision-making chain demands critical vigilance from society.