EP-44 和 Vitalik 回忆以太坊的中国故事、俄乌战争、大小区块
吴说不加密播客
Deep Dive
Why did Vitalik consider Wanxiang's support crucial for Ethereum's survival in 2015?
In 2015, Ethereum's foundation was nearly out of funds, and Wanxiang purchased 410,000 ETH at $1.2 per ETH, providing $500,000 in support. This financial injection was critical for the foundation's survival and allowed it to continue supporting developers.
What was Vitalik's impression of the Chinese blockchain ecosystem during his visits in 2014 and 2015?
Vitalik was impressed by the advanced ecosystem in China, noting that companies like OKCoin and Huobi had more employees than their U.S. counterparts. By 2015, he observed the emergence of applications like Zafed and BitCherry, which were experimenting with fractionalized shares and decentralized social platforms.
Why does Vitalik believe that only DeFi projects survived during the DeFi Summer?
High transaction fees made it unsustainable for non-financial applications to thrive. For example, social media users would not pay $1 to $15 per post, whereas DeFi users could absorb these costs. This led to the dominance of DeFi projects during that period.
What is Vitalik's current view on the Bitcoin community's technological development?
Vitalik is not optimistic about the Bitcoin community's technological progress, noting that it has become more focused on Bitcoin's price and digital gold narrative rather than innovation. He contrasts this with Ethereum's developer-centric culture.
How did the Russian invasion of Ukraine personally impact Vitalik?
The invasion deeply affected Vitalik, leading him to publicly oppose the war and donate $5 million to Ukraine. He also realized that returning to Russia could result in imprisonment, marking a significant personal and political shift in his life.
Why does Vitalik prefer the concept of Ethereum as a 'world computer'?
Vitalik sees Ethereum as a platform that combines decentralized storage and open-source technology, enabling collaborative applications like decentralized social networks and Google Docs alternatives. This aligns with his vision of Ethereum as a tool for global innovation and public goods.
What does Vitalik identify as the key difference between Bitcoin and Ethereum cultures?
Bitcoin culture is often focused on wealth accumulation and price speculation, while Ethereum culture emphasizes innovation, public goods, and technological development. Vitalik notes that Ethereum's community is more developer-driven and less concerned with financial gain.
Why does Vitalik believe blockchain is uniquely trustworthy?
Blockchain is decentralized and resistant to censorship, making it the only platform where users can trust that their accounts won't be closed, their funds won't be stolen, and their personal information won't be misused. This is especially valuable in regions with unstable financial systems or political conflicts.
- Vitalik's initial surprise at the scale of Chinese crypto companies in 2014.
- Wanxiang's crucial investment in Ethereum's early days.
- Bihu's innovative approach to incentivizing content creators.
- High gas fees hindering the growth of non-DeFi projects.
Shownotes Transcript