I wouldn't say they're the same thing, but gold isn't "way better" than fiat, either.

Fiat is the inevitable result of gold being used by a society that's growing in number, land area, and technology. Those who want us to return to a gold standard are as delusional (at best) as those who want to stop "climate change": The end goal for both groups is the permanent limitation or elimination of all humanity, they're just coming at it from opposing sides of the political aisle.

So they're connected -- gold unavoidably led to fiat -- but they're not the same.