Vitalik Buterin Urges Crypto Community to Look Beyond Pro-Crypto Stance in Political Support

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has advised against basing political support solely on a candidate’s pro-crypto views.

He stressed the importance of broader values ​​such as individual freedoms and technological progress, warning that a narrow focus on cryptocurrencies could undermine the principles that inspired the industry’s movement.

broader perspective

Buterin stressed that the current trend of politicians only supporting their pro-crypto stances is short-sighted. He noted that political views can change over time, and a politician who appears to be pro-crypto today may not hold those same views in the future.

To assess a candidate’s true commitment to cryptocurrencies, Buterin suggests looking at his historical stance on relevant issues such as encrypted messaging. He claims this provides insight into his potential future positions on technology and freedom.

“By publicly endorsing ‘pro-crypto’ candidates simply because of their stance on crypto, you create an incentive for politicians to pretend to support crypto without truly aligning with its core values,” Buterin said.

Buterin urged the community to scrutinize whether pro-crypto politicians truly support the movement’s values. Do they have a long-term vision for technology and the economy that aligns with crypto’s principles? If not, Buterin suggests avoiding political support or looking for more compatible candidates.

Freedoms and technological progress

Vitalik Buterin has to caution Relying on a candidate’s pro-crypto stance for political support alone would betray the core values ​​of the entire movement. He stressed that the industry is not just about cryptocurrencies and blockchains, noting that its roots lie in the crypto ethos of the early 2000s, which called for free and open technology to protect individual freedoms.

This movement initially fought restrictive copyright laws backed by corporate interests, and decentralization was a key defense mechanism.

Bitcoin, an extension of the crypto ethos, provided a decentralized means of financial transactions. However, Buterin noted that the focus on freedom of payment as the core of all other freedoms came later, often to justify the financial focus of the crypto space.

Buterin emphasized that technological freedoms go beyond cryptocurrencies. He highlighted the importance of freedom and privacy of communication, emphasizing encrypted messaging and pseudonymity, with zero-knowledge proofs playing a crucial role. He also noted the importance of privacy-friendly digital identity, noting that while blockchain applications can help, traditional encryption methods are often more practical.

As AI interactions deepen, he emphasized the growing importance of protecting ideas from centralized AI companies. He called for high-quality access to information through social technologies that foster informed opinions in hostile environments.

Buterin has criticized current pro-crypto initiatives for neglecting these broader freedoms, noting that platforms like StandWithCrypto focus exclusively on crypto-related legislation without addressing other crucial freedoms related to crypto and technology.