Incorrect, the POW model is what allows the network to remain secure and competitive, it also incentivizes it to adapt to different stressors ex. China mining ban. With this model the BTC network has almost become a living organism that constantly changes and improves as the environment around it changes. All money throughout history that had any type of sustainability had some POW model. Where man hours or energy were needed to produce it. Think gold and silver and mining. Without that, the money could be infinitely created and did not have or hold any value over time. The more miners that participate and the more efficient the equipment becomes only increases the security, integrity and value of the network.
I think a major point you are missing is it's simplicity is a feature not a bug. It's sole purpose is to be pure monetary energy that is secure liquid, decentralized and everyone knows/trusts the rules and they can't be changed. Bitcoin by far is superior in these qualities to any other crypto. Any transaction cost/speed issues will be handled on Layer2/3 solutions then settles in bulk on the base layer. Its addressable potential market is all assets that carry a store of value premium. This includes gold, stocks, bonds, real estate and others. That doesn't mean it takes all the value from these assets classes but can take the portion of the premium they hold since people have had no where else to park their money in a fiat/inflationary system. The values of these assets will come down closer to their actual utility over time. If you price these assets in btc instead of dollars, you can actually see it happening in real time.
Look, I know this concept can be hard to wrap your head around, there really is not any other way to do it other than to put in hundreds if not thousands of hours into really understanding it and it's incentive structure. Paradigm shifts are often hard to conceptualize and see and can sound completely insane at first. If you really want to understand it, I suggest you start with reading "The bitcoin standard". Here are a few videos on why the POW model is important. Until you put in the work yourself though, these conversations are pointless.