sometimes an IOU of a bitcoin is worth more than an actual bitcoin and you need services such as ripple or traditional banking system. If you don't currently have the need to keep assets in IOU form, don't do it.
I need some time to appropriately absorb and study all of the points in the original post....BUT....in terms of this quote....your bank statement and checks are IOUs from your bank... people don't actually have the stock of companies that they purchase, just IOUs from their brokers.....most gold/precious metals ownership is in the form of receipts....etc, etc.....
You should think about the ramifications of your statement, because everyone has a need to keep assets in IOU form on a daily basis....they just don't recognize it. If you want your money to work for you, keeping it liquid is the worst advice you can ever follow, as inflation will eat it. The second you put it to work, you're dealing with IOUs.