My mom: But you can't use bitcoin to buy a car.

me: if they want bitcoin, you can send it to them directly. Otherwise you can sell it as an asset for the currency that they want and give that to them.

It is an asset, AND it is transferable like currency! It has an added superpower.

Imagine trying to buy a car with Gold bars or stock certificates. (find a pawn shop, convert gold to cash).,,

Bitcoin exchanges are 24/7. It really is marvelous that the internet is used to exchange this asset as well as rails for the asset. It's like a perfect global marketplace of energy.