It's very interesting to see most of the members praising this so called 'Merit' systems are the users who already got lot of 'Merit's by default. They did NOT have to earn it like all new users will have to now!!
I didn't have to do anything to get where I am right now? Man, I wonder what I have been doing the last 5 years then. 
did a fairy just make you a staff member? was it like the merit system and I missed out?