A recent article titled “Against Learning From Dramatic Events” has sparked extensive discussion within the community. The author argues that it is generally unnecessary to learn from extreme or exceptional events, using examples from FTX and OpenAI to illustrate their point. The article has even garnered a response from one of the co-founders of Ethereum.
Recently, a doctor on the West Coast of the United States wrote an article titled “Against Learning From Dramatic Events,” in which the author opposes drawing lessons or conclusions from dramatic events. This suggests that the author believes the lessons derived from extreme or exceptional events may be “inaccurate or inapplicable” to general situations.
Reflecting on the events involving FTX and OpenAI, the author first cites the example of SBF, the founder of a bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange called FTX. As a young CEO rising in the field of financial technology, SBF’s actions led to harsh criticism for fraudulent behavior. At the time, many suggested that everyone should quickly point out his fraudulent behavior even without concrete evidence. This event highlighted the importance of oversight and transparency, especially in companies like FTX that do not even have a board of directors.
On the other hand, the recent incident involving the dismissal of Sam Altman by the OpenAI board became another focal point. This event showed the negative consequences that baseless accusations against top leadership can have on their reputation. Additionally, this incident highlighted the potential dangers of a powerful board of directors and the necessity of expressing positions quickly in major news events.
Ironically, while people are encouraged to react swiftly and expose potential misconduct in one single event, they are also reminded to act cautiously and avoid unnecessary turbulence in another.
The article also caught the attention of Vitalik, co-founder of Ethereum, who believes that the main issues in both of these cases relate to “the legitimacy of the public.”
Regarding the SBF situation, Vitalik pointed out that SBF’s mistake was not only the fraudulent behavior but also the “awakening slogan” he used. In Vitalik’s view, these actions demonstrated a disregard for public trust and legitimacy. In this case, Vitalik believes that it is important not only to expose his fraudulent behavior but also for SBF to respect and uphold the public’s trust.
Discussing the behavior of the OpenAI board, Vitalik expressed a similar viewpoint. In this situation, the board made significant decisions suddenly and seemed to believe that they did not need to explain themselves to the public. In Vitalik’s view, this is also a disregard for the legitimacy of the public. He believes that regardless of the content of the decisions, openness, transparency, and accountability to the public are extremely important.
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Vitalik|Source:X
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