You are entitled to your own opinion, of course, @zer0sum . However in legal terms, XRP is considered some sort of currency or asset. You have 2 examples of this:
What Ripple's Fincen Fine Means for the Digital Currency Industry
Ripple Labs Settles Lawsuit with Former Founder Jed McCaleb
So of course, STEEM or XRP are cryptokens and the US Dollar is just a paper out of thin air. However due to enforcement, subjective value and use, they have value.
I myself don't consider paper money as proper "money", but because I do have to interact with a world that enforces its use and considers that government paper money as actually having "value" I still use it. My own opinion on the matter isn't enough to turn it worthless at this moment.