I stopped posting on reddit after a few valid points I made were downvoted into oblivion due to people disliking or failing to understand them. I understand a merit system doesn't have this effect. But I still think that upvote / downvote systems (and potentially merit systems to a degree) could introduce more negative implications into content and user classifications than they do promote positive quirks.

On the plus side, they could incentivize posters to try harder to make quality posts. It could be a good system in some respects. It could depend on how prevalent account farming is, here. To be effective the farming might have to be reduced as it opens up the system to greater exploitation. Pay for play "merit" isn't something I know much about. It would seem to be associated with farming, can't say I know much about that.