Some altcoins are better than bitcoin for specific purposes. Bitcoin has the trust of the people and a very solid system.
Any altcoin that wants to compete with bitcoin has to offer something new, otherwise is just a bitcoin clone...
Bitcoin is valuable not because it has the trust of the people but it is because of blockchain technology. Bitcoin arrived with blockchain technology which introduced decentralization ushering people in the financial ecosystem with financial freedom. I don't see any altcoin which is better than bitcoin in terms of technology or products backing them. Most altcoins use bitcoin's algorithm to develop their own blockchain network without having any particular solutions to solve gaps seen in the financial space.
Bitcoin is better because it solves and bridges gaps seen in the centralized financial systems.
It is #1 as we have the opportunity to invest in this technology and make a profit along with the growth of its adoption by the masses. Bitcoin creates value for both earlier investors and new ones, providing more and more chances to use currency, the amount of which is limited.
This is not a hoax or theft, but simply the law of supply and demand in action, the ancient economic principle.