Investing a decent amount is also another way to say invest with an amount you can afford to lose. Even if one is responsible or irresponsible, he/she should know that it's very important to invest with an amount that they can always afford to risk. Everyone has an amount that they can afford to lose, but most people don't know.
I don't know if I'm getting you right but why do i feel that your perception on Bitcoin investment is for trading because when you advised him to use the only money he can afford to lose, perhaps indirectly you are saying that there is a higher chance for him to lose his money Bitcoin or in other words referring to gambling investment, however in as much as nothing is guaranteed when it comes to investment but with Bitcoin success is certain if you are ready to hold, so actually the risk you are talking about should be actually dependent on the kind of investment you are talking about because if your pattern is for a long term holding I wouldn't use the word risk because it seems that you don't really understand or know the potential of Bitcoin you are investing on.
If that's what he means then he is wrong. It is good we use the money we can afford to lose in gambling. And the reason for this statement its not because we are not taking a proper risk, it is because we can go ahead and use money to save normal live problems, emergencies and other expenses for investing. Its not only in Bitcoin investment that this statement is applicable. Anything that involves risk we should e careful the amount of money and purpose of money we put into.
Imagine investing everything we have whether bitcoin or not. We know we dont pray for health issues or something that could damage us a lot. Yet, if we fail to keep money for those things when they come we would end up not able to solve that problem which may lead to death or something worst.