In his latest article, Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, proposes that Ethereum’s Layer 2 is not only a technical expansion but also a cultural extension. He points out that L2 provides an ideal platform for building subcultures, and these diverse subcultures are a huge advantage for Ethereum.
Vitalik states that this diversity is reflected not only in the technical aspects but also in the cultural aspects, where various cultural values shape the direction of Ethereum’s development and user base.
He further mentions three major subcultures in Ethereum: Cypherpunks, Regens, and Degens. Vitalik emphasizes the importance of culture, stating that culture itself is an integral part of motivation. He cites researcher Paul Dylan-Ennis’s study, which identifies these three major subcultures and their roles in different areas of Ethereum.
Vitalik adds that these three groups are not the only important ones in Ethereum, and even questions the extent to which they are cohesive groups. He gives an example of profit-oriented institutional groups being culturally different from people who buy monkey pictures. This diversity reflects the diversity within the Ethereum community, which Vitalik believes is a huge advantage. He then asks: can we further strengthen this cultural diversity?
Addressing this question, Vitalik believes that L2 provides the answer. He believes that an ideal L2 should have unique values and user groups. For example, Polygon has achieved success through collaborations with mainstream companies and its evolving high-quality ZK ecosystem, while Optimism focuses on cultural concepts such as funding traceable public goods and governance beyond token-based governance.
Vitalik emphasizes that an important characteristic of L2 is that it provides an ideal platform for any subculture to take action. He believes that a strategy centered around L2 can balance the benefits of pluralism and cooperation. These subcultures, although different, share core values and collaborate on crucial common infrastructure.
He admits that this approach may face challenges such as falling into a single culture, but he believes that Ethereum is an ongoing experiment and its charm lies in its willingness to address difficult problems.
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Vitalik’s latest long article: What is the real difference between Ethereum L2 and sharding in execution?