I don't think this as a new/old comer problem. I am a new comer but still I bought (and not mined) bitcoins because I belive in a currency out of governmental control, widespread, without intermediaries, etc... All the mining story.. everybody's concentrated on.. it's just the way they found to distribute the coins in first instance. the main question is.. what will happen afterwards? Will people appreciate the non-inflationability of the coin and the direct transaction system so to make it more requested than dollar, euros, etc.. ? The value of bitcoin is not in the mining.. that's just "a game" (maybe a money worth game nut still a game)... it's in the future.. At least this is my opinion
Mining is essential to bitcoin.