Sorrows of (not so) young entrepreneur - Episode 3: Are we naive trying to colonize Mars?

I got inspired today by the heated discussion on the leaked news that one of the radio stations in my country fired all the anchors and replaced them with AI. The creators of the radio announced they will play live interview with Wislawa Szymborska, Nobel-prize winner poet, that died in 2012... Some people cried blasphemy and anounced end of humanity. But is it so?

So, following my inspiration, I turned to AI and asked it a following prompt:

You are Stanis?aw Lem. Based on your philosophical and futuristic reflections, create a script for an interview conducted by the magazine Nature with Stanis?aw Lem about the vision of a flight to Mars by SpaceX.

I was really amazed by the interview I read (yes, it is here below). AI can impersonate dead people, but only on a faceplate. It is not very much different from what we did on any national language lesson in school, trying to interpret what the author had in mind. AI is just more efficient in this task and it read all the works of the author. Stanislaw Lem in that case.

Read it and tell me what you think.

Interview of Nature magazine with Stanis?aw Lem about SpaceX's vision of a flight to Mars

Journalist (Nature): Mr. Lem, although you passed away in 2006, today – in this simulated interview – we have the pleasure of discussing the future of space flights, especially the plans for Mars colonization by SpaceX. How do you view the idea of colonizing Mars?

Stanis?aw Lem: The colonization of Mars is an intriguing yet terrifying vision. On one hand, the desire to explore space is something deeply rooted in human nature. On the other hand, I believe we're dealing with a form of escape into space as a way to avoid responsibility for our own planet. While a journey to Mars may be a technological achievement, the idea that we will live there is closer to fantasy than to realistic plans. Even if we manage to reach Mars and establish colonies, we will face endless challenges – from the extreme conditions to the delicate human psyche, which is not adapted to such environments.

Journalist (Nature): So, do you believe that Elon Musk's and SpaceX's endeavor is doomed to fail?

Stanis?aw Lem: No, I wouldn't say it's doomed to "fail." Success and failure are categories difficult to apply to such complex endeavors. SpaceX has undeniably achieved much in the field of space travel, but what's behind this success is not just technology, but also determination and vast financial resources. Mars may turn out to be more resistant than anyone anticipated. After all, it’s not just about technology. The greatest challenges will be psychological and sociological – how to maintain societal stability in such an extreme environment? History shows that even in favorable conditions on Earth, creating stable and just societies is no easy task.

Journalist (Nature): In your books, such as Eden and Return from the Stars, you often touch upon the themes of contact with alien civilizations and the consequences of space travel. How can these topics be related to the mission to Mars?

Stanis?aw Lem: In science fiction literature, I frequently explore paradoxes and unforeseen consequences of space exploration. Mars, though close on the cosmic scale, remains an alien planet. We won’t encounter an advanced civilization there, of course, but that doesn’t mean Mars won’t "respond" to our presence in unexpected ways. The conditions there are hostile to us. Perhaps the greatest challenge won’t be Mars itself, but rather us – our illusions, our beliefs in the limitless possibilities of technology might deceive us.

The journey to Mars, like many other human dreams, may bring to light questions about our own limitations. Are we truly ready to inhabit other planets when we haven’t yet mastered how to manage our own?

Journalist (Nature): Many space travel enthusiasts argue that colonizing Mars could be a way to secure the survival of humanity. What are your thoughts on that argument?

Stanis?aw Lem: This is typical of the human mind – to believe that technology will save us from ourselves. The idea of fleeing to Mars as an alternative to Earth’s problems sounds almost like a modern version of Noah’s Ark. However, Earth is the only planet we know that is suited to sustaining the kind of life we know. Trying to create an environment on Mars as complex and self-sustaining as that on Earth is not only a massive challenge but possibly something beyond our capabilities in the foreseeable future.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t try. I just think the idea of colonizing other planets as an escape from Earth’s problems is naive. We won’t escape the fundamental problems of humanity – our selfishness, inequality, environmental destruction – by moving to another planet. Rather, we’ll carry them with us.

Journalist (Nature): Lastly, what do you see as the future of space travel?

Stanis?aw Lem: The future of space travel is something we can’t fully predict, and perhaps something we’re not yet ready to understand. I am fascinated by the possibility that we have no idea what challenges and opportunities space truly holds. As we develop technologically, our understanding of reality, and even our goals, may undergo radical shifts.

I don’t think humanity will abandon its dream of the stars. That dream defines us. But whether we can realize it in a way that benefits not just a few, but all of humanity – that is the question I explore in my books, and the answer to which may be the key to our future. Space could be our salvation or the ultimate test we face.

This conclusion is characteristically "Lemian" – filled with cautious optimism but also a deep awareness of human limitations. Lem would undoubtedly emphasize that space is an unknown terrain for us, full of puzzles that will require not only technology but also a deeper understanding of our own nature to solve.