Curious how something so heavily marketed...as modern currency...is almost always only being talked about as an object of investment.

Nothing strange about basic marketing.

yet another speculative scheme for people who are the rich to get richer.

Like the bosses at your job? Yeah, it's kind of like that.

You don't have to understand the chemical properties of gold to buy and sell it.

You don't like investments, fine. That works out well for those who do. Most complain while standing still, some act.