Originally published on: September 23, 2024
Renowned Ethereum co-founder, Vitalik Buterin, has shed light on two pivotal challenges hindering the realization of his visionary concept of “popup cities” or “network states.” Hovering around the realms of governance and membership constraints, Buterin aims to tackle these obstacles to breathe life into his bold vision.
Buterin recently shared insights at the Network State Conference 2024 in Singapore, delving into the theory behind “network states” – a novel movement wherein online communities converge to form tangible communities, striving for political independence.
Reflecting on his groundbreaking experiment, Zuzalu, Buterin orchestrated a grand convergence of 200 individuals encompassing the Ethereum community, crypto magnates, biotech tycoons, and scientific maestros in Montenegro from March to May 2023. The mission? To collaboratively address collective challenges such as human longevity.
“Bring these individuals together, simulate a city environment for 60 days, and witness the metamorphosis,” Buterin articulated.
While participants resonated with the immersive experience, relishing in wholesome practices like nutritious eating, invigorating cold plunges, and rejuvenating yoga sessions, Buterin confessed that the experiment failed to resolve crucial governance intricacies.
Envisioning these states as bastions of bespoke regulations tailored to serve their populace and shun stifling overregulation prevalent in Western jurisdictions, Buterin lamented the lack of a clear roadmap post-Zuzalu.
Popup cities indeed epitomize a fresh frontier where futuristic dreams can materialize, enabling a whimsical journey envisioning ten strides ahead. Yet, fostering symbiotic relationships between network states remains paramount as contemporary tribalism, rampant on social media platforms, proves counterproductive and zero-sum, Buterin emphasized.
In closing, Buterin emphasized the imperative need to address governance and membership challenges to propel the concept of popup cities towards fruition. As he aptly summarized, “The path ahead hinges on our defined objectives.”
Originating from Balaji Srinivasan’s brainchild and expounded upon by Buterin in 2022, network states are touted as a potential successor to libertarianism, seamlessly blending individualistic ethos with communal virtues.
Rumors swirling around a proposed overhaul to rescue Ethereum from a spiraling L2 ‘roadmap to hell’ only add flavor to the whirlwind of innovations sweeping the blockchain landscape.
