Don't be such a pessimist. If you are a Newbie you can still become a Junior Member without any merit, and then with only 10 merits you can become a Member - that's feasible. After that, be happy to remain a Member for a year or two. As for higher ranks, don't underestimate the power of miracles

My bet is Elon Musk will make it to Mars before some current hero members make it to legendary.