>>I am more interested in how people in the community feel that a futures contract that is wholly disconnected from the underlying asset (BTC) will impact the price of BTC.

I am interested in exactly the same thing

>>it's looking more to me as a way that they can sell clients on "paper Bitcoin" than something that could actually manipulate the real BTC price.

agree

>>No one has to buy the bitcoins.

That's scares a bit