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It's all a game
Q: The only reason academics use citations is because it's a game they use to impress each other. Why should I play that game?
A: You thought academics were devoid of human passions and foibles? Of course many of us use citations as a sort of appeal to authority: "Look how many people I can refer to! I know this stuff better than anyone else." But there are other dynamics as well. When I'm reading a bold argument, I'd like to know that the author has considered what others have written—and citing other works is one way of convincing me. I also may want to read some of the works that the article or book refers to, because I am not an expert in everything. Or maybe the author has discovered a source I didn't know about.
Besides, do you still brush your teeth because your mother told you to when you were little? I bet you brush your teeth for the best reasons you have heard (to avoid decay and gum disease), not the worst.