Buterin Calls Out Musk to "Turn Down the Temperature”

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin urged Elon Musk to "turn down the temperature" in response to a growing debate on his platform, X (formerly known as Twitter), over the hiring of foreign tech workers.

In his post, Buterin acknowledged Musk's commitment to free speech but suggested a more measured approach to moderation.

Specifically, he recommended easing up on the use of the "banhammer" and reconsidering the tone of discourse.

Buterin's comments followed Musk's controversial defense of H-1B visa holders, which angered some of his conservative followers, who argued that the US job market was becoming less favourable to citizens.

The tension escalated as critics accused Musk of censoring dissenting voices, claiming that X had removed premium features from accounts that disagreed with his stance, raising broader concerns about free speech on the platform.

Reason Must Come Over Power

In his response, Buterin acknowledged Musk's support for the free movement of people, describing it as "an important freedom," but expressed concern over the use of aggressive rhetoric and the alleged censorship on X.

Buterin criticised the overreliance on methods like the "banhammer"—a tool used to remove users for inappropriate behavior—arguing that such tactics, while seemingly effective in the short term, ultimately set a dangerous precedent.

He urged Musk to be more mindful of his tone and use his influence on X responsibly, for the greater good of humanity.

Buterin warned that excessive censorship could deteriorate public discourse, creating divisions that may spread like a "memetic beast," indiscriminately targeting new groups.

He cautioned that the repeated use of these tools could legitimise further censorship, undermining reasoned debate and shifting the balance of power toward those who can silence dissent, rather than fostering meaningful discussions.

However, not everyone shares Buterin's sentiments.

Musk, who had recently changed his X name to Kekius Maximus—an amalgamation of internet culture and the character from "Gladiator"—seemed to have reverted the name by the time of writing.

Musks change of his X's profile name and picture