Your friend is not wrong. I would encourage him to read Cryptoeconomics by Eric Voskuil. He acknowledges the flaws in Bitcoin while recognizing it as a tool to diminish state control over money. This chapter is particularly relevant as the stability property implies no expectation of gains from holding Bitcoin. In fact, he points out elsewhere that ALL money depreciates simply by holding it.

This is not number go up technology, it is freedom go up 🔥