why none of this matters

None of this actually matters. Yes, rankings will continue to always exist but they really don't have to mean anything. As long as you join a sorority/fraternity where there are people you want to spend time with, you can be content and happy. At the end of the day, find a place with people you can call friends and then just enjoy college with them. No one is gonna look back in ten years and care how their house was ranked, you're just gonna keep living your life and hopefully stay in contact with the people you care about. You could be in a "top" house but if you don't find genuine friendships then it will bring nothing to your life. You could be in either a "top" or "bottom" house and find your best friends and thats great! Ranking is absolutely meaningless if you chose for it to be.