While the parent's statement is wrong; it essentially makes the correct point. Gold has value as it is a store of wealth and maybe a case could be made that Bitcoin is that; though it is tougher now. Gold is used as a medium of exchange and the underpinnings historically for currency as some currency is literally minted out of it or was backed by it.
However, other assets have value because they are useful. Per your examples a house is shelter and a stock is a virtual representation of the physical assets and receivables of a corporation which I should add has extreme market liquidity. Other assets like vehicles provide transportation and heavy machinery make products. I like Bitcoin and it may become/stay an asset class like gold; very illiquid and a store of wealth, but if that fails to materialize or continue after this speculation Bitcoin will be a lot more the AltaVista/Yahoo/Dogpile to Google search than the Gold to Cash analogy.
However, other assets have value because they are useful. Per your examples a house is shelter and a stock is a virtual representation of the physical assets and receivables of a corporation which I should add has extreme market liquidity. Other assets like vehicles provide transportation and heavy machinery make products. I like Bitcoin and it may become/stay an asset class like gold; very illiquid and a store of wealth, but if that fails to materialize or continue after this speculation Bitcoin will be a lot more the AltaVista/Yahoo/Dogpile to Google search than the Gold to Cash analogy.