To be fair tho the merit system should work if people are posting normally as long as you are not shit posting. If we look at this thread for instance there are quite a few that have contributed well to this thread, do we see any merit to lower ranked members?
Merits will never have a value as they are not meant to be sold.
No further discussion needed unless you want people tagging you. Merits are meant to be earnt with quality posts. Sure you will see lots and lots of bias, but that won't last as once all the initial sMerits have been spread about people will need to earn them, something earnt is worth a shit ton more than something given
Accounts arent supposed to have a value, but they do, and this forum allows the buying and selling of them.
Its not written law that you cant buy or sell merit, its already happening off site on telegram, in discord.
I myself will be picking up a nice shinny new account with some extra merit, as this forum encourages account selling by allowing it to take places, merit is no different.
Like shown people are selling merit away from bitcointalk.
As for RLF giving merit it's going to happen. I'm sure we will even get to the point where people are just hodling merit as we are a community of hodlers