Anatomy of Power: From Kołakowski to Digital Algorithms

This essay offers an in-depth analysis of the mechanisms of power, viewed not as oppression but as the foundation of social order. Leszek Kołakowski's thought serves as a starting point for deconstructing contemporary phenomena such as polyarchy and constitutional hardball. The author guides the reader through a world of symbols, from the Confucian Mandate of Heaven to the digital algorithms that are redefining contemporary surveillance. The text warns against the intoxication of power and the erosion of norms, emphasizing the crucial role of civic vigilance in protecting freedom. This compendium of knowledge examines how rituals and technology shape our obedience and how state institutions protect us from our natural inclination toward aggression.