Ok, there is true in your words, but who will give merit for a post from newbie?
In my experiance, more often merit receive users with beautiful signature and avatars, than a person with only nickname and number of activity and merit number..
I haven't bothered to read this thread, because there are so many inconsiderate posters that keep on bulking their posts with repetitive quotes. If you want people to read your point, don't wrap it in a load of old vegetation.
I did spot the quoted comment, and I have given merit to a wide range of new, and not so new, members, and that includes some who I awarded for their first post in the forum. I won't give merit if I don't read your post though, and I probably won't see it if I have to wade through a mass of repeated text.