"Ethereum's Vitalik: A Decade Later, Crypto's Shifting Sands"

In the rapidly evolving landscape of cryptocurrency, the story of Ethereum's founder, Vitalik Buterin, serves as a stark reminder of the shifting dynamics of the industry. A decade after the creation of Ethereum, Buterin's ability to raise funds for a similar project today would likely face significant challenges, as the market has shifted away from its initial vision of providing an alternative to centralized systems.

The current crypto market is dominated by short-term gains and social signaling for investment decisions, a stark contrast to the early days of Ethereum. In 2014, the ethos of cyberpunks was strong, and builders focused on creating products aligned with their vision of increasing financial access, privacy, and permissionlessness. Projects were evaluated based on solid engineering talent, a minimum viable product, and in-depth white papers. Funds were raised through initial coin offerings, requiring projects to build a community willing to put their money where their belief was.

Today, the focus has shifted towards vanity metrics such as TVL or active user count, and marketing has become the primary game in town. Projects are more likely to gain resources if they capture a considerable mindshare, often through influencer marketing or having a CV full of Big Tech experience. The lack of white papers in new product launches is an excellent metaphor for the way investors now do their due diligence, which rarely goes as deep as warranting a white paper.

The rise of short-termism and disillusionment with the industry has led to increased financial nihilism, with investors giving into the casino mentality. Crypto turns aspiring thinkers into PVP shillers, hindering the industry's ability to become more mainstream. Marketing in crypto focuses almost exclusively on people already in crypto, making it difficult to attract new users or "normies."

To break out of this cycle of degenerate accelerationism, the crypto industry must rethink its approach to marketing and product development. Marketing should focus on creating a market by building products that tap into existing needs and solve problems. This requires catering to different audiences, from crypto-aficionados wanting to know all about the tech to users who just want a functioning product. By acquiring actual usage and moving away from solely engagement-based evaluation, the industry can stand a chance of building better things and breaking out of the current cycle.

The next Vitalik should not have to be an influencer to stand a chance at receiving funding. The crypto industry