Have you atudied economics? The OP reads like someone who has and is utterly incredulous at the statements being made by Bitcoin's proponents. In fairness, the gentleman interviewed in this article insisted it was all an experiment. But the WSJ editorial board has a long time habit of being very non-mainstream and almost Austrian with its economic views, so this interview was likely intended to play into a political narrative.
Here is a summary of what he is trying to say:
1. Bringing up hyperinflation in Zimbabwe is a common tactic of right-wing/Austrian economists to warn of the evils of government control over fiscal spending and currency, and that our current course of monetary expansion means that we in the US too are on the same path.
This ignores of course that (a) Zimbabwe had a civil war at the time and the government confiscated or destoyed most private productive capacity; (b) we are in a liquidity trap currently, which in short means that money is nearly free to borrow at 0% interest. Companies are sitting on piles of cash or continuing to unwind their debt from the 2008 crisis, therefore we have not enough people spending. Printing money has had no discernible impact on inflation over the past 5 years. In fact, we could use a bit right now - to encourage spending!
2. The thought that "encouraging saving is good" therefore fixed currency and deflation is good.
An economy is a closed system - if some are saving, others have to spend to keep the music going. If we all stop spending, we get into a depression, where people lose their jobs, and the economy isn't working to its potential - all because the currency is rising in value.
In short, it is arguable the point of an economic system is to make and consume goods and services, not sit and watch your bank balance grow due to the psychological whims of the market.
3. A currency based in faith is not a dangerous thing - basing currency on gold is mostly a form of superstition. and it has real drawbacks (see #2).
Lots of things in the world are based on faith in institutions or theorems. Bitcoin is too - faith in the algorithm, that it works and won't be compromised. Also (blind) faith that a fixed amount of Bitcoin will not lead to destabilization.
Now. Does that help? These arguments lead to exasperation because they seem to happen over and over across decades in slightly different forms.