Merit is not equivalent to activity. Activity takes you along the path until you get to the gatekeeper for the next level. When you get there, you show the gatekeeper your merit wallet, and if it isn't full enough, then he won't open the gate. This leaves you milling around on the grass outside. If you create too many unmeritable posts in an attempt to fill your wallet, you run the risk of annoying the merit awarders, and therefore you will be placed on ignore. This makes it much harder for you to gain the merits you need.

The best plan is to think before you post, and ask yourself - "would I like to see this post, and has it helped me in some way". If the answer is "no", then don't make the post. If you do make the post, then make sure it flows smoothly, and is easy to read. This means you will need to spell check it before submitting it.