it seems widely the impression is that bitcoin is seen as something to buy and sell, rather than something to earn and spend

no idea how, or even if a change of mind like that can be achieved, except maybe in the cash economy, if fiat cash gets phased out, or becomes too surveilled or restricted to be useful.

bitcoin also has the problem that the core chain is seemingly no longer viewed as money by those 'developing' it - creating a blurry notion of what it exists for at all