When I purchase a good or service, I always try to use fiat. Fiat has much less value to me than Bitcoin (XBT), so I prefer to spend it over my XBT holdings. Why is this the case?
The short answer is that all fiat is now competing with XBT, and all available tools must be compared objectively. Which protocol (fiat vs. XBT) is more stable? Which protocol has parameters that can be predicted with almost 100% accuracy? Which is easier to use? Which creates less friction (lower cost) for markets? Which allows more market participants?
To me and many others here the answers are entirely obvious. However, because the way we currently value XBT is completely inaccurate (exchange based valuations that are easily manipulated), many people will discover too late just how valuable XBT is - simply because they didn’t observe the fundamental value of the protocol.
Instead most people just glance at the relative fiat “price” (where quantities demanded and quantities supplied meet) of XBT and decide that it is unstable and therefore unusable - because “price” is how most people (incorrectly) determine a thing’s value.
In the past, societies have transitioned from one technology to another over a period of hundreds or thousands of years. For example, gunpoweder was invented in 9th Century China and it took around 400 years for the technology to reach Europe.
Now, technologies spread much faster. SMS texting was insanely popular in Japan some years ago, and if I remember right it took about 5-6 years (and a relatively modest hardware design change) for it to spread to the US. But prior to that hardware design change texting in the US was considered a complete joke. SMS was literally the subject of late night comedy.
Based on this information, my guess is that in 5-6 years the Bitcoin ecosystem will be so well developed that it becomes the de-facto standard method of transferring and storing value. I think it will take 10-20 years before people start decoupling the value of XBT from fiat, and begin thinking (and pricing) goods and services in terms of XBT.
I think lots of people agree with you, and it might ultimately be the reason that bitcoin never takes off. If you were starting a new monetary system would you want it to be held by a few early adapters who would never use it because they treasure it so much?
Also why will anyone accept bitcoin if no one who holds bitcoin will ever spend it? When a company announces that they accept bitcoin, they should be flooded with business from people wanting bitcoin to succeed, whereas that isn't what happens.
I spend my bitcoins whenever I can, I want the currency to succeed. I can always buy more bitcoin after I have spent it. It is not something to hoard, or it if is, it will be something that is almost worthless but hoarded by a few.