I am an idiot. lol #confessions
I think of Steem like a "national currency" of sorts. The Nation is Steem and it's various projects.
In the land of Steem we earn, save, spend and transfer Steem. We do it to pay each other. We do it to play a game, we do it to support a project (investing) and some travel to other Nations so they exchange Steem for other currencies like BTC or what have you.
Steem is it's own social economic Nation on the Internet with a real community doing real things. That is our value.