Can things that humans made up (sports, money, borders, rules) really matter?

Axis: yes, constructed things matter because we make them matter ... no, they are arbitrary and trivial

John

date	change	position	video
2009-09-13	new	John says what we love about sports is that, unlike life, it has no room for ambiguity, which makes sports fun but always kind of insufficient.	Sex, Sports, and Caster Semenya 00:02:15
2010-01-04	new	John argues that rules which feel arbitrary (hurdles, brushing, math) have real utility: they stand between us and chaos.	It Hurts In My Toof: The 2010 Rules 00:01:45
2010-06-21	restate	John: though it's silly, he chooses to care about the World Cup because it transcends geography, ethnicity, wealth and politics.	You're Gonna Die 00:01:36
2011-03-28	restate	John argues sports matter: we choose what we care about, and caring about sports, like Harry Potter or Nerdfighteria, binds people into communities that make life worth living.	Participatory Geometry 00:02:29
2011-08-10	restate	John argues sovereign debt is unsecured and gold no longer backs currency: the only thing backing currency in the world is trust.	Understanding America's Debt Problem 00:01:33
2011-10-28	restate	In the book's author's note John writes that hunting for facts inside a story attacks the idea that made-up stories can matter, which he calls sort of the foundational assumption of our species.	Reading Chapter One of The Fault in Our Stars 00:02:23

date	change	position	video
2010-06-19	new	Hank, staging a mock intervention over John's World Cup obsession: however great soccer is, it is just a game.	You just lost THE GAME! 00:00:00
2011-09-28	new	Hank argues sports and almost all value exist only by collective agreement, and that doing things together because they are fun is why we do anything.	Cup Stacking and Glasses Picking 00:01:58
2012-08-03	restate	Hank: the Olympics (and gymnastics, shot put) have value because people come together and give them value.	I Don't Understand My Life 00:00:58