How do rules make actions such as voting, marrying, and christening a ship meaningful?

In the philosophy of social science, actions such as voting, marrying, or christening a ship are considered meaningful because they are performed by conscious, intentional beings who follow specific rules, procedures, and social norms. Unlike the mere physical movement of entities lacking consciousness, these human actions are defined by the social context in which they occur.12

The philosopher John Searle explains that social reality is created through "we-intentions" using the constitutive formula: "X counts as Y in context C." For example:3
* Christening a ship: An utterance (X) counts as a christening (Y) only when performed in the appropriate ceremony (C) by someone following the established linguistic and social rules for that activity.32
* Marriage: The act of making a promise (X) counts as getting married (Y) within the context of a recognized marriage ceremony (C).3
* Voting: This is a rule-governed activity where specific procedures define how an individual participates in a collective choice, ensuring the action is valid and legitimate within a political system.45

Essentially, these actions are meaningful because agents possess the competence to master the rules or norms that govern a particular activity, allowing them to perform actions that are recognized and understood by others within their culture.2