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Every idea has pros and cons. Merit really needed to be introduced to protect this forum from posting garbage. If you look around now, you will see people are actually trying (in most case) to put their thoughts in whatever they are posting, i.e: yourself!
You are talking about challenges? You already have your answers.
Forget about nullius, the user is exceptional IMO. Exceptional can not be an example. But...
Hey look, we are both full members. We both got given 100 merits for free when the system was first put in place. Since then, I've earned a bunch more. You've earned zero.
...etc.
I will say the same thing like o_e_l_e_o said...
Maybe, just maybe, the problem isn't the merit system - it's you.
I never got any merits. theymos broke my life!!1!
- theymos has nothing to do with your live LOL. All he cares is, Looking after the forum.