Statues and Societies

Were Classical Statues Painted Horribly?

Ralph S Weir | Works In Progress | 16th December 2025

When we reconstruct the original colouring of Greek and Roman sculptures, they look grotesque — to our eyes, much worse than the plain stone or bronze. Has our aesthetic sense greatly evolved in 2,000 years, or is something else going on? Much older painted statuary from other cultures, such as Egypt, still looks marvellous. Perhaps the problem is just that the reconstructions are very badly done (2,700 words)

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Let A Thousand Societies Bloom

Vitalik Buterin | 17th December 2025

Assessment of the state of intentional community-building. This movement encompasses everything from libertarian micronations to socialist utopias. Some are actively experimenting with short-term "pop-up" cultures. The writer ran one called Zuzalu in Montenegro in 2023; 200 people co-existed for two months, shared ideas and formed subcultures. Living in tribes is the future, it is argued (8,700 words)