unless the crypto breaks bitcoin is safe

satoshi seemed to think that was decades away, by which time we'll be living in a new world ...

All currencies have an abstract component.  In fact perhaps the majority of currency is abstract. 

Bitcoin is a revolution because it has utility based on an NxN matrix, where N is the number of people.  Other systems have an NxM matrix, where M is the number of notaries (read banks).  The number of notaries is minuscule vs the number of people.

So bitcoin can be true money, like cash.  And have a network effect 1000s or even millions of times bigger than legacy money.   

Yes I agree.  Currency gains trust through track record.  Fiat has been around decades to bitcoin's years.  There's nothing wrong with trusting fiat.  But fiat can be more easily gamed than crypto leading to a black swan where fiat requires a moratorium and bitcoin remains standing.

I see bitcoin as more robust than fiat, there doesnt seem to be any event that could derail it, other than the crypto being broken.

True, it's still young. I'm kicking myself because I had intended to mine right out of the gate. I heard of bitcoin about a week after it's launch. I had a number of personal problems going on at the time and simply FORGOT about it until much later. Sheer stupidity. I figured it would take off to some extent (not as much as it has). Trying not to make the same mistake twice.

However, yes, I think it will go large. I'm betting that it will go large. But I still think it's too soon to call it a smashing success just yet.

good/safe/secure/fast infrastructure would make all the difference, i agree.