Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin blasted cryptocurrency investors for becoming so obsessed with flaunting their newfound wealth that they are missing the point of how the new technology can change society for the better.
“If all that we accomplish is lambo memes and immature puns about ‘sharting,’ then I WILL leave,” he posted in a Twitter rant on Wednesday.
He said the community needs to grow up and move away from the extravagance investors are showing off online.
“*All* crypto communities, ethereum included, should heed these words of warning. Need to differentiate between getting hundreds of billions of dollars of digital paper wealth sloshing around and actually achieving something meaningful for society,” Buterin tweeted.
If all that we accomplish is lambo memes and immature puns about "sharting", then I WILL leave.
Though I still have a lot of hope that the community can steer in the right direction.
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) December 27, 2017
In a reply to another Twitter user, he said he envisioned cryptocurrency becoming something better than just allowing a new avenue for accumulating wealth and power.
Gold, diamonds and politics all suck. But I want to build something *better*, not more of the same.
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) December 27, 2017
However, Bertin hasn’t lost faith in the crypto community just yet.
“I still have a lot of hope that the community can steer in the right direction,” Buterin tweeted.
While interest has swirled around Bitcoin’s success, Ethereum has also seen significant gains this year. The cryptocurrency is up by more than 8,500% since the start of 2017, Business Insider reported.