“And those who were observed dancing were perceived as mad by those who could not hear the melody.” Friedrich Nietzsche
Ethereum as an undertaking signifies more than merely a technology, although technology resides at its foundation. Amidst the frenzy of creation, collaboration, and troubleshooting, one can occasionally lose sight of the broader perspective. It’s essential to pause for a moment, step back, and observe to genuinely comprehend what’s transpiring.
The initiative began as a notion in Vitalik’s thoughts. Ethereum has since proliferated into countless other minds globally, thanks to this intertwined digital web referred to as the Internet. A multitude of minds united by the concept of a Turing-complete general-purpose blockchain is building, as you peruse these lines, the Minecraft of blockchain technology.
In the midst of this enthusiasm, we have also had to contemplate how best to safeguard the vision from being tainted, while simultaneously delivering the technology itself. This article marks the beginning of a series that seeks to elucidate both the philosophy and driving forces behind the project as a whole.
soulsearching: for profit or not?
From its inception, our goal was to create a technology aligned with the broader community and to foster a meritocratic environment founded on trust, transparency, and honor – not only for our fellow Ethereans but for everyone – united by an intense passion for meaningful change in the world.
In recent months, the structure of our organization and the essence of this project has been a topic of discussion – both internally and with the community. These conversations have been constructive, and I would personally like to express my gratitude to all those who took the time to share their insights on our forums, in blog comments, or on Reddit.
It has been an intense and fascinating journey. Throughout it, we’ve reflected on our principles by examining ourselves and asking what this project genuinely signifies for each of us. During these prolonged soul-searching sessions, we discovered that most of the opposing views reduced down to a singular query: for profit or not?
After assessing a variety of models and organizations, we concluded that to maintain the protocol and software as pure as feasible, the sole viable option was to establish a non-profit framework with a defined mission to develop, maintain, nurture, and explore the potential of this innovative technology. Driven not by profit but by a vibrant passion for this audacious vision of a free, open, and decentralized world. That’s what brings us joy in the end and more importantly, what inspires us to rise up and engage in this project, proudly declaring today we’re building tomorrow.
Further details concerning the chosen non-profit structure will be shared in a series of blog entries. However, this message does not revolve around specifics, but rather the broader perspective and why we are undertaking this in the first place.
continuing the experiment
We all originate from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, yet in the end, we’re all intertwined through this significant project that allows us to delve into our passions and concepts through code, art, hardware, or occasionally, something entirely novel.
By design, this project is pioneering unprecedented ground that has not been attempted before. This is, by definition, a trial and error experiment, seeking to continue the endeavor initiated by Bitcoin on multiple fronts. Since this has not been previously explored, there are no definitive right or wrong responses or tangible experiences to rely upon. We are deeply entrenched in uncharted realms.
Even though we do not yet fully grasp the complete applications and implications, the sheer volume of ideas and initiatives ignited by the fundamental concept is encouraging and provides us with a glimpse into the limitless possibilities of our imagination – we are crafting and co-creating our own future “reality.”
I prefer to view the Ethereum project as a blank canvas, where anyone can create digital masterpieces. The technology underpinning it acts as a catalyst, empowering individuals to express their inherent playful creativity. If the network and blockchain serve as the canvas, then the paints and colors are the lines of code operating transparently and without censorship atop. Everyone is invited to co-create.
The genesis sale signifies the next milestone in this extraordinary journey that lies ahead, and a means to bootstrap the Ethereum ecosystem. The collective intelligence of the swarm will then have access to a remarkable open technology, capable of unleashing waves of innovation across the web, and etherweb. With such a technology accessible, centralized, corrupt monopolies that drain the blood and sweat of humanity face imminent obsolescence.
portal into greatness
“Don’t pose the question of what the world requires. Pose the question of what brings you to life and then go pursue that. Because what the world needs are individuals who have come alive.” Howard Thurman
Most of us understand that the current global operating system is steering us towards extinction as a species. Finance appears to be the contemporary paradigm that humanity must surpass on its journey from a civilization type zero to a civilization type one.
When a technology such as Ethereum is present, I feel we owe it to ourselves and our fellow beings to investigate its possibilities in search of solutions. We indeed hold the power to shape the future we desire through code and intentional action – if you encounter something unsatisfactory, contribute with something you find favorable. We believe it is essential, particularly at this pivotal juncture, to follow our hearts instead of pursuing hollow external rewards. This is how, perhaps, we can unlock a portal to our utmost potential, both on individual and collective scales.
I surmise that Sir Timothy Berners-Lee was likely unable to foresee something like Bitcoin operating atop his hypertext transfer protocol back in the early 90s. Just as we find ourselves unable at this moment to fully comprehend the ramifications of the ongoing crypto renaissance traversing the omnipresent digital mesh that connects over 2 billion minds.
How far can we advance it?
What is the boundary?
Is there genuinely a boundary in the first place?
From our modest beginnings as gatherers and hunters, we have reached a stage where we can ponder the nature of infinity. Capable of grasping the notion that we are composed of trillions of atoms resonating in harmony on a pale blue dot, all while perpetually connected through a digital global consciousness network. We are learning to dream with open minds, just as we dream with closed eyes. We stand on the brink of transforming the world with our thoughts through lines of code dancing with atoms at the precipice of singularity. The intriguing part is just about to unfold.
How many rivers must we cross before we can find our way?
