Ethereum (ETH) co-founder Vitalik Buterin has reversed his 2017 stance, where he dismissed the idea of users verifying the entire blockchain themselves as a "fantasy of a strange hermit in the mountains." He cited the advancements in ZK-SNARK cryptography and lessons learned from real network outages as reasons for this change in position.
What happened: Buterin's reversal of position
Buterin recently stated in a post on X that his thoughts have changed. This statement directly contradicts his position from nearly 8 years ago.
In 2017, Buterin debated with blockchain theorist **Ian Grigg** about whether blockchains should commit state on-chain. Grigg argued that blockchains could simply record transaction order without storing user balances, smart contract code, or storage.
At the time, Buterin opposed this approach, warning that it would force users to either replay the entire chain history or completely trust a third-party RPC provider. He viewed both options as unrealistic for the average user.
What changed his mind was the advancement of ZK-SNARK.
Thanks to this breakthrough in cryptographic technology, users are now able to verify the integrity of the blockchain without having to re-execute every transaction.
Buterin wrote, "Now we have the technology that allows us to verify the legitimacy of the chain without having to re-execute every transaction one by one, and we have invented that 'something' that brings benefits without costs!"
He likened this innovation to discovering a "$15 universal cure."
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Why it matters: Network resilience
Buterin emphasized the practical concerns regarding centralization and network trustworthiness. He wrote, "Sometimes P2P networks go down. Sometimes latency spikes up to 20 times. Sometimes the service you relied on shuts down."
He pointed out that miners or stakers sometimes concentrate power, and intermediaries may censor applications. In such situations, users must maintain the ability to validate and use the chain directly without external assistance.
Buterin wrote, "If we create a self-sovereign blockchain that endures time, the answer to the dilemma above should not always be 'call the developer.' If that were the case, the developers themselves would soon become the center of centralization."
Buterin now supports a method he calls the "Mountain Man" option. While complete self-verification is not for everyday use, it serves as a critical emergency measure.
He compared this to how BitTorrent pressured streaming platforms to offer better conditions to consumers. The existence of such options means that leverage and safety nets are secured even amid technical and political uncertainties.
Buterin advocates the "Mountain Man option" as a backup measure for emergencies rather than a regular practice. "We don’t need to live in the Mountain Man's cabin every day," he wrote. "But part of maintaining the infinite garden of Ethereum is to keep that cabin well-maintained."
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