This doesn't really answer why bitcoin though. Because we already have money that we've been using for a good long time.

The problem is that money now is issued by governments. Governments are on average only governing one country, although sometimes more as with the Euro. In other words, it is not universal, so if you want to exchange some money for goods and services then you need to find the right money for the country the service is in.

Globalisation means we often want goods and services from other countries. But then we always need to find the right money for that country or use some de facto universal money like USD. But then you're always exchanging money or letting the US government (who control USD) exert some control over you, even though you could be outside the US buying a good/service from a non-US entity.

Bitcoin gives you a universal money. Once you have it, you can exchange it for goods or services without caring about where the recipient is. And you don't have to worry that you've now created a universal money that is controlled by one non-universal entity like the USA.

At least that is the idea

No, because Bitcoin is not money, and if the only way you can talk about it is by referring to a different concept it's clear that you don't understand Bitcoin either.

what does this have to do with cryptocurrency?

You already do that now. its called a job.

None of my customers pay me in potatoes, dumpsters, or iced coffee/chocolate chip scones. They pay my in money, which I then give to the person at the coffee shop and she gives me the coffee.

And then the coffee shop people give that money to their landlord, the power company, the coffee bean people, and also their employees.

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It seems like such bad faith arguments to claim that bitcoin doesn't have a use. It has an obvious use. HNers might not agree that it solves the problem it claims to solve, but if that's what you think then argue that. Don't pretend like you "don't understand" what the purpose is.

yes thank you, im aware of how money is different than bartering. What does this have to do with cryptocurrency?

>crypto currency

Bitcoin is a crypto CURRENCY. It IS money.

Bitcoin calls itself money, but that doesn't make it money any more than calling my cat currency would make it money.

As far as governments have ruled in tax law, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are not treated as foreign currency.

People use it as money, so it is money. If people used acorns as money, then acorns would be money.

You don't need to complicate this further.