80,000 Hours Podcast

#63 – Vitalik Buterin on better ways to fund public goods, blockchain's failures, & effective giving

8 snips
Sep 3, 2019
Vitalik Buterin, lead developer of Ethereum and a pioneer in cryptoeconomics, discusses the significant flaws of current blockchain technologies, calling them often ineffective. He explores innovative funding models for public goods, like quadratic voting and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). Buterin critiques common myths in crypto and emphasizes the importance of effective altruism within the community. He also highlights the potential of blockchain for enhancing collaboration and solving global challenges, advocating for a broader vision beyond mere currency.
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ANECDOTE

Cryptocurrency in Africa

  • Vitalik Buterin learned about cryptocurrency's impact in Africa.
  • Nigerians use it for remittances, finding it cheaper than traditional methods.
INSIGHT

Blockchain's Future

  • Blockchain's future hinges on solving scalability and privacy.
  • It excels at proving non-action, like certificate non-revocation, unlike traditional cryptography.
INSIGHT

Proof-of-Stake Promise

  • Proof-of-stake is promising for blockchain security and scalability.
  • Real-world incentive alignment and edge cases remain key challenges, not showstoppers.
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