The problem with raising the fundamental issues with Bitcoin on HN is that you end up debating the history of hard currencies and their various and well-studied failures with a bunch of folks that believe the opposite, running over the same old ground over and over again.

A deflationary currency system of any kind, if it absorbs a significant amount of the world economy's assets, is going to be a disaster and at this point all we can do is hope it won't happen.