Precepts of youth by Pitirim Sorokin. To the 100th anniversary of his speech at the solemn meeting on the day of the 103rd anniversary of St Petersburg University (February 21, 1922)

The article is devoted to the analysis of the text of P.A. Sorokin’s speech on the occasion of the 103rd anniversary of St Petersburg University on February 21, 1922, which at one time caused a wide resonance and discussion. The purpose of this article, firstly, is to recall this important event in the life of an outstanding social thinker and sociologist and the ideas that he expressed when addressing students. Secondly, to pay attention to the very contradictory history of his life and his personality. Sorokin himself attached great importance to his speech. In his speech, he expressed a sharp rejection of the events that took place in Russia in the 1920s and named the milestones that young people should follow. He developed the main ideas of this speech later in the book “Leaves from a Russian Diary” and in other works. It is noted that Sorokin’s political and ideological position was aggravated by his characterological traits — a commitment to prophecy, broadcasting and catastrophicity, which, as the researchers of his work pointed out, interfered with the impartiality of his ideas. The perception of speech by his colleague, a well-known lawyer, sociologist N.A.Gredeskul, is presented. The author of the article, one of those who took an active part in the “return” of Sorokin to his homeland, considers it necessary to seriously study not only his legacy, but also the dynamics of his worldview, value orientations at different stages of life, without criticism and idealization. It is shown that the content of the speech of P.A. Sorokin and his opponent N.A.Gredeskul has not lost its significance, since the issues discussed are extremely relevant both for modern youth and for our science.