For the record I have no position on whether or not the current blockchains will be the winners of the space. When I talk about the transformative potential of blockchain I'm talking about the idea of realtime triple-entry combined with authenticated data and smart contracts, not about BTC or ETH or whatever.
Clearly this stuff needs another 5 - 10 years until it's ready for mass adoption, and requires lots of new mathematics and technologies that haven't even been invented yet.
Well then you should be as shocked at the transformation of an exciting research field from a technical pursuit to a den of scammers, con artists and desperately ignorant speculators. That's why you see the attitude you see in HN.
Clearly this stuff needs another 5 - 10 years until it's ready for mass adoption, and requires lots of new mathematics and technologies that haven't even been invented yet.