@DooMAD
If they're really not adding anything, then they shouldn't get merit. But it doesn't need to be mind-blowing, either. Someone suggested a feature where all umerited posts would be hidden (which I may do at some point) -- I think that it'd be good to look at it as asking what posts you would want in such a summary. So not just incredible posts which might've taken an hour or more to write (those should probably get 10+ merit), but also the questions, arguments, jokes, etc. which couldn't be removed from a thread without starting to lobotomize it.
It's all very new, of course, so maybe this strategy will not actually be the best, but it is what I had in mind when designing the system.
@TMAN, I have been adding sources, and I will continue.
I was the one who made the recommendation to only see merited posts. The merit score doesn't really discourage the old timers from posting shitposts for campaign purposes or other random purposes. Currently the lower ranks still have to read those and it would be a nice feature if I can ignore those. It would also be nice if members can buy smerits like reddit gold cause essentially this is what merit is right now.