Romanian philosopher and writer Horia-Roman Patapievici gave a speech centering on his book “The Recent Man” in the conference “New man of Europe: models, prototypes, ideals” held in Chisinau. The conference was organized by the State University of Moldova in partnership with the Representative Office of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Moldova and the Romanian Cultural Institute, IPN reports.

Horia-Roman Patapievici said that at a certain moment, the Chinese people decided to find out how the European civilization managed to develop so well culturally, economically and politically and reached the conclusion that the progress is due to Christianity. But today’s Europeans deny Christianity, while those who have religious convictions do not make them public for fear they will not be promoted to high-ranking posts in European institutions.

In his book “The Recent Man”, Horia-Roman Patapievici writes that the contemporary people are best fed, most prosperous and freest in movement. They have better living conditions than the nobles of the 17th century. But they are the weak-willed and the most dependent on comfort and consumption.

In his speech, the philosopher said that today’s Europeans do not want to hear about Christianity. But, according to the opinions of personalities quoted by the philosopher, the 21st century will be a religious one or will not be at all. The task of the people of the 21st century is to reintegrate the gods. Only owing to Christianity capitalism and then democracy, which is evangelical in essence, developed.

Horia-Roman Patapievici also said that the most powerful civilization knows how to destroy the world, but does not know how to form a teen, unlike the previous civilizations. The recent men consider that if they ensure comfort for their children, they give them everything they need in life, forgetting about education.

Horia-Roman Patapievici was born in Bucharest on March 18, 1957. He studied physics and is a private researcher in the history of ideas, writer and TV producer. He taught courses on the history of science and the history of ideas. He published such books as “Sky seen through the Lens”, “Flight within Arrow's Reach”, “Beatrice's Eyes”, and “About Ideas and Blockages”.