I strongly agree with that, the merit system that had implemented here didn't actually make a thing if we are going to look on the whole forest, there might be some who changed their post into a good quality to acquired some merits to level up their rank but the majority still didn't changed, they are contented on shit posting because they don't want to make efforts on earning merits.
I bet what is running on their minds is that, who does needs merits?, something like that, what I mean is that they could still earn on their current rank while shit posting and there are too many people with that kind of attitude.
Those who changed posting habits would not easily get merits from posting because inherently they are shitposters and their habit of shitposting to get paid wont change by the introduction of merit in the profiles. Rather not getting merited/ranked up would make them frustrated to make more shitposts. Still merit has controlled these people from ranking up and thus demoralize these people from doing bounties. Which is a good thing.
In the long run the mentality of "free money" needs to change and thats what merit is helping to achieve. Its not something that is perfect but it is a radical measure to curb these bottomfeeders.