Who Is Teodor Cataniciu?

“When the facts change, I change my mind - what do you do?” - John Maynard Keynes

In general, it's a bad idea to begin introducing yourself with your political positions, especially on the internet. A sense of apparent neutrality is useful for discussing the substance of many polarizing topics, and the atmosphere is simply nicer when we feel like we're not talking politics. Yet, I want to be transparent from the beginning about how I think—not only because you’re on my website, but also because it represents a defense of a particular worldview.

I believe in evolution, the scientific method, and global warming. I believe in freedom of speech, whether politically correct or not. I believe in capitalism, free markets, and entrepreneurship. I believe in individual freedoms and personal responsibility. I recognize that evil exists in this world and that we must be ready to protect our freedom, our communities, and ourselves. But, at the same time, I firmly believe that most people are fundamentally good and strive their best to live decent lives given their circumstances.

I believe that we're living in the best era in human history, and that progress is possible—but not guaranteed. Though prosperity is rising for most of us, we are impacted by rapid changes all around us: we often feel lonely despite our social media feeds, careers have become uncertain amid the AI revolution, and it's increasingly tough to find meaning and purpose in a world where progress and uncertainty seem so intertwined. I believe we can overcome these challenges by working together in united communities to build solutions that meet the challenges of our times.

"Theodore Roosevelt once said, 'Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.' And I'd add that what makes work worth doing is getting to do it with people you love."
– Leslie Knope (Parks and Rec)

I think we are the people we’ve been waiting for to save us. The future is the result of our daily efforts to protect the democratic institutions we've inherited and continue building upon that foundation. I believe in meritocracy and I think we must do better to offer more opportunities to more people. I believe immigration can strengthen a country—but it also comes with real challenges we have to manage. I'm opposed to uncontrolled migration fuelled by naive empathy. I advocate for an efficient state; one that doesn't waste resources dictating whom people can love or what religion they should follow.

My values are rooted in secular humanism, yet I respect the Christian traditions I grew up with and culturally identify with this heritage. Humanity has made extraordinary progress towards reducing global violence; yet, at the same time, our freedom in Europe is threatened by autocratic powers such as Russia and China. If we desire peace, we must avoid being naïve. Another Theodore, much smarter than me, once said: speak softly and carry a big stick—you will go far. As Europeans we must achieve peace through strength.

Given all that, it probably won't surprise you that my vote usually goes toward liberal parties and politicians. But if you ask me where I place myself politically, my answer isn't clearly found on left or right political spectrum - I’d rather say: I am a pragmatic optimist.

What does Pragmatic Optimism Mean?

First, let's clarify what pragmatic optimism isn't: it's not about picking a neutral or moderate stance in a debate just to make everyone happy. That would simply amount to another ideology. I don't consider slavery sometimes acceptable, nor do I believe the Earth is partially flat.

I'm not against idealism and I certainly have values I deeply believe in. For instance, one of my core convictions is that the European Union should, over time, evolve into a true republic. Yet, I aim to reject illusions by seeking realistic, practical solutions, evaluated based on their real-world outcomes. These ideas aren't mutually exclusive—you can admire Elon Musk for the companies he built while thinking he's an idiot for fueling extremism, at the same time.

I will hold and defend clear positions whenever possible—but I also admit that the world is complex, messy, and packed with ambiguities and nuances. I strive, sometimes successfully, sometimes less so, to remain open-minded toward good ideas wherever they come from—whether from a political ‘side’ or elsewhere—and judge an idea's merits independently from my opinion about its source. I think labels such as "left" or "right" have lost meaning for most of us. Today, we need a new path forward grounded in results and increasing prosperity for as many people as possible.

"There are decades where nothing happens and weeks where decades happen."

Many people generally believe in gradual change, step by step. I'm also naturally inclined to iterative improvement. Still, I acknowledge there are historical moments when solving big problems requires swift, decisive action. While I prefer gradual changes, I don’t outright reject structural, radical change responding to urgent challenges. European security being the one most on my mind recently.

The common criticism of people who think this way is that they supposedly lack the courage to take a clear position on the right or left, preferring to stay on the sidelines, considering themselves smarter than those closed-minded ideologues. But that's just a straw-man. My fundamental belief is simply that political perspectives and worldviews don't have to come in prepackaged bundles. For example, one's stance on same-sex marriage will often predict opinions about immigration. A pragmatic optimist will regularly surprise you with their views, inevitably infuriating many people in the process.

But that’s not a problem because the goal isn't group-think or loyalty to a side; rather, it's to critically evaluate the evidence and outcomes of proposed ideas, driven by the desire to move forward through nuanced debates filled with respect and compassion, especially for those people we disagree with.

So, Why Subscribe?

Everything I post in this community - from the Dialog Liber Podcast, to my essays and newsletter—reflects this worldview and the approach I take toward understanding life and the world around us. If these thoughts resonate with you, please consider subscribing and becoming part of our community. We'd love to have you.

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PS. I've intentionally left for the end the least important part—those things people typically put in their resumes. I hope most people follow me for my ideas and arguments (sometimes good, often to blast me for various things I’ve said —after all, this is still the Internet), rather than where I went to school or some award I won long ago. If interested, however, here is my biography.