In this podcast interview, Kuomintang legislator Ko Ju-chun (Dr. Bao) and co-founder of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin, discussed many profound topics, including:
Table of Contents
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The combination of democracy and blockchain technology
Vitalik’s background and achievements
Taiwan’s elections and democratic health
Applications and visions of blockchain
Deepening and implementing democracy
Full interview
Vitalik talked about the connection between blockchain technology and democracy, especially how micro-democracy can be achieved through blockchain. This type of democracy is manifested through functions such as likes and retweets on social media platforms, which are a form of voting that demonstrates different applications of democracy.
Vitalik displayed an interest in computers and programming from a young age. From playing video games to creating Ethereum, his experiences illustrate his pursuit of decentralization and democratic values. In particular, his dissatisfaction with a game publisher canceling his favorite game character’s abilities prompted him to question centralized control.
Vitalik expressed his interest in the results of Taiwan’s elections and mentioned that “no news is good news,” implying that Taiwan’s election process appears healthier and more stable compared to other regions.
Vitalik and Ko Ju-chun discussed the possibilities of blockchain technology beyond currency applications, such as establishing a fairer and more transparent social system. Vitalik specifically mentioned how technologies like Ethereum Name Service (ENS) and InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) can achieve decentralized network storage and domain systems, emphasizing individual freedom and power in the digital world.
Through discussions on various democratic practices within the Ethereum ecosystem, including how blockchain technology can achieve fairer public goods financing and governance, Vitalik elucidated how blockchain can serve as a technical foundation supporting innovation in broader social technologies and governance models.
Overall, this interview showcased Vitalik’s belief in the potential of blockchain technology in realizing new forms of democracy and strengthening individual freedom and social justice through technological innovation. It also reflected Ko Ju-chun’s deep interest and identification with these concepts, particularly in exploring how these technologies and ideas can be applied to democracy and governance in Taiwan and globally.
Vitalik Buterin
Dr. Bao
Democracy
Ko Ju-chun
Further reading
Kuomintang legislator nominee Ko Ju-chun: Five sincere observations and suggestions on satellite (missile?) alerts, considering uploading alerts
EP.165 Virtual world quasi-legislator Ko Ju-chun Dr. Bao is online~