HODL term from a 2014 Posts, very legit and reasonable to read, while Nowadays the Word HODL mostly applied to 1 month to maximum of 1 year holding of the currency .
Nice Dig here Mate, you come to reopen a  6 years old post but worth Bumping since we are in another History making.
Wrong mate, Who told you that? If no one's gonna spend Bitcoin then How would market circulate ?and if this is what the true Intention of Bitcoin then What's the Value all about?
Even Gold is being Traded to Gain more value.

See the thing is HODL doesn't quite mean that you are supposed to keep bitcoins away locked up unattached with the market and the economics but actually it does mean that you are using those bitcoins to maintain a stable BTC pool which would resist any change in the price. I take it as a buffer solution , it will protect the bitcoins from any ups and downs. Plus when we talk about how you are leaning it and such I do believe that is inevitable , that's how it is made , we cannot use it just as it is , we still have years to reach that stronghold. Right now what is important is understanding the value of it. Many people cash in - cash out instantly , some of them regret moments later. Holding them does provide you with a part of power in the pool and you do have a secure future since we all know it's going to climb for sure. The limited supply is something that would mean you are holding an immensely rare element of the periodic table , even more expensive than gold. Take it as an investment ! Don't think much and understand the meaning behind it.

for me it's a buffer system just like the hydrocarbon buffer in our blood , nominal but essential.

There's no harm to hodling bitcoins compared to hoarding fiat currency, as OP have mentioned regardless if bitcoin is hodled, it's the market cap that circulates anyway so there are no risk of stagnation. And since bitcoin is virtual there is no risk to it physically running out, even virtually in some cases when you consider the fact that Satoshis are there to help.