Gold become desirable because it is an ideal metal to use for jewelry. That came first and its use as a currency came second. In that sense, it has been used in industry longer that it has been a currency.
Excellent point, I wouldn't however use USD, EUR, or RMB for jewelry. The point remains that BTC has no less intrinsic value than any fiat currency. As soon as we promise each other work in exchange for something that thing gains value. In a sense BTC is more like gold than dollars because it is mined into circulation, rather than being conjured into existence by a central bank.