Umberto Eco (b. 1932) is an outstanding Italian scientist-philosopher, medievalist historian, semiotics specialist, literary critic, writer, author of the well-known novels “The Name of the Rose” (1980) and “Foucault’s Pendulum” (1988) to Russian readers. ), “The Island on the Eve” (1995) and “Prague Cemetery” (2010). The collection “Create Your Own Enemy” has the subtitle “texts on occasion”, since it includes essays and articles written “by order” - for thematic magazine issues or based on reports at conferences devoted to various fields of knowledge, as well as articles polemical in nature... Different “cases” – different topics. Why do people need to create an enemy for themselves? When does a soul appear in human embryos? How does technological progress change the essence and tasks of the diplomatic service? Often these texts are humorous or parodic in nature, that is, Eco wrote them, wanting to entertain both himself and his readers.