history - Why do we count years from the date of Creation?

Why do we count years from the date of Creation? I intend two sub-questions here, of which the second is far more interesting, so please answer it:

1. Whence did this tradition originate?


2. Why do we continue doing it when it is so problematic, that is, nonstraightforward? The answers linked discuss how a "day" in Biblical Creation is most often understood as a figurative interval that actually corresponds to a much longer period. Obviously, as Biblical history progresses, the time-scale quickly shifts to be in line with a modern one. Still, isn't it misleading to imply that we are literally 5772 years from the date of Creation?

Answer

Your first question is a duplicate of When did we start counting the Year since Creation?

In answer to your second question, I have no source, but I would be shocked if the answer was more complex than that the originators of this counting system simply believed (as many still do, myself included) that it was completely accurate.

I suppose that those rabbis that don't believe it to be accurate could have switched to a system based on something more concrete yet still significant, like the Exodus, the Giving of the Torah, or better yet, the Beis Hamikdash. The reason this hasn't happened is most likely because that would simply overcomplicate things, when all rabbinic writings already use the other system. There is no benefit to switching to a more accurately dated system, when all systems are relative, and the one in use is simply based on an arbitrary (ITO) point in time.

Edit: As DoubleAA points out, there are rabbis who are attempting to change the system, although their lack of success at becoming the prevalent standard (so far) is likely due to the reason outlined in the above paragraph.