Rather than look at it as good or bad, look at it in how things have historically gained traction when they were new.

- When the 'old west' was opening up one of the big draws was the presence of saloons, cat houses, and gambling parlors.
- When magazine subscriptions were starting to take off publications like Playboy were there.
- The debate between Betamax and VHS was partly settled because of video porn.
- The beginnings of the internet itself, while largely created for scientific and governmental purposes, contained large amounts of porn, wares, and hacking (and still does).

Many people may have looked down their noses at such things, but you can't deny the momentum that they helped create. So I ask back, Bitcoin should be any different?  We're seeing a few merchants dip a tentative toe into the market, but they are few. What are most of the postings here about? SilkRoad and other black market places and lottery (gambling) type places. Getting good traction in the illegal/illicit areas seems to be a harbinger of better things to come.

I may be totally wrong, but that's how I see it.