We are in the stealth phase... almost everyone has heard of bitcoin but ask them beyond if they have heard of it and they will just tell you it is a ponzi scheme.
Every company with half a brain is starting to use BTC, most not hold but use. The average person knows nothing of this and thinks the price is at zero and the "ponzie scheme" has failed.
The next phase will be the early adoption phase, we are not there yet. Soon enough the average dimmit will understand BTC is not a ponzie scheme, ponzie game, easily hacked, millions more printed by computer programmers, etc.
Everyone assumed we were in early adoption in Nov this was inncorrect.
Agreed, this is why many feel it is a great time to buy regardless of what the price is doing! I think the price of a Bitcoin is just a tool we use to trade them. It's not an indicator of Bitcoins true value, IMO.
I was asked how much for a Bitcoin and when I said the price was under $500 the person was shocked. People don't have the foggiest idea what is going on with Bitcoin. I think the GOX debacle made it easy for people to ignore Bitcoin and now their missing the good news and the big picture.