To be honest, I don't like some aspects of the merit system. The only reason I am going out of my way to post regularly is because I want to be able to use avatars. I am usually a person of little words, and I feel like making people post so much is just taking up more server space.
I understand your plight and situation. More like men of little words. But, men of little words still say or should be able to say something that is reasonable, that would cover all the things that garrulous people would say in five pages just by "hitting the nail at the head".I do not think the merit system is even advocating typing jargons in the name of covering space to get some merits - Nope. You can reasonably be concise, make your valid point, analysis and interested member/ reader can still give the post merit.
So, which ever way you are, you can make an analytical post and get a merit for it. Do you best and don't always look out for merit.