Vitalik Buterin says the app layer needs ‘good social philosophy’ most
Vitalik Buterin emphasizes the importance of "good social philosophy" in Ethereum's application layer, where decentralized applications are developed. He argues that the direction and purpose of these applications significantly depend on the developers' ideas about Ethereum's role in the world. Buterin contrasts this with programming languages like C++, which are less influenced by ideology. He notes that while Ethereum's infrastructure is somewhat exposed to philosophical influences, it remains largely general-purpose. Buterin identifies apps with good social philosophy, such as Railgun, Farcaster, Polymarket, and Signal, which prioritize ethical functionality. Conversely, he criticizes platforms like Pump.fun, Terra, and FTX for embodying poor social philosophy, highlighting how developers' beliefs shape the outcomes of their applications.
