Ask HN: What is the current state of blockchain as actual functional tech?

Non industry person here, basically curious about the question in the title.

With all the hype about coins, defi, and NFTs, I've been having trouble finding information about projects using blockchain technology for an actual functional purpose.

For example - I've always imagined there would be a lot of value in the intersection of blockchain/mesh networks/content-centric networking to create a sort of "co-op" decentralized mesh network. The distributed ledger would serve as the map of content, and allow some financial benefit to accrue for providing/supporting an access node to the mesh network. But it doesn't seem like we're yet at the point where non-blockchain people can use the technology for other purposes.

Am I wrong in this regard? Is there a better way to sift through all the hype/noise? And does anyone have any interesting examples of blockchain being used in functional, or at least in not-purely-financial, ways?