I think we all know on some level this is worthless, simply a gambling toy. At least with gold you can melt it down and make something pretty.
No, we don't know that, it has value - the electricity and processing power invested into creating it. As for gold, you can also melt bronze and make something pretty, so the value of gold should be about $1 per pound by your own valuation.
GOLD PLATES THE CONTACTS ON THE HARDWARE THAT MAKE BITCOIN POSSIBLE.
NO GOLD = NO BITCOIN
I would love to see gold at the price you suggest because the miners wouldn't be mining it.
Bitcoin would be no more.