TechFlow news — On February 19, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin posted that the current blockchain ecosystem and global society are facing risks, with many projects lacking long-term value or even harboring malicious intent receiving excessive attention. He emphasized that the community should not merely remain at the level of criticism but must actively provide and implement better alternatives.
In the blockchain space, the community needs to move beyond meme coins that crash 97% in a single day, and instead explore truly valuable directions for development. At the macro societal level, Ethereum, as a successful open and decentralized ecosystem, is offering a powerful counterexample to views skeptical of democratic systems and inclined toward strongman politics. Citing a political scientist's view from Devcon, he noted that Ethereum's success could serve as a positive model for broader governance systems.
Regarding the role of the Ethereum Foundation, Vitalik stressed that "decentralization" does not mean "doing nothing." The Foundation's "philosophy of subtraction" does not entail eliminating itself entirely, but rather stepping in to restore balance when imbalances arise in the ecosystem—such as excessive centralization or under-provision of public goods—and then withdrawing once the issues are resolved. He likened this governance approach to ideas from the Tao Te Ching, emphasizing the need for wisdom and capability, rather than simple laissez-faire.
