Quote from: Kate Beckett on September 03, 2018, 01:34:49 PM

Quote from: hilariousetc on September 03, 2018, 12:26:45 PM

I agree that people tend to give them more to posts they agree with or 'like' but there's nothing we can do abut that other than try urge users to give posts for effort rather than you just agreeing with them or liking their point.

I believe that the meaning of merit is different from a simple like. Merit is deserved not by the post with which we agree, but by one in which the author consistently and reasonably expresses his point of view. You can agree with him, or you may not. But in any case, it isn`t just an attempt to write a constructive and useful commentary that deserve merit, but an intelligible and precise report of someone`s point of view. It is through argumentative statements between participants that a discussion can begin. Even if their views don`t coincide, but they explain them and prove, with respect to the contrary opinion and listening to the arguments of the oponents, the forum members will certainly discover something new. As we know, in a dispute, truth is born. And merit is worth giving to those who help to approach it, and not just those with whom we agree.

Precisely, stating a premise and forming an argument to support that is the basis of critical thinking.

Quote from: LoyceV on September 03, 2018, 02:03:02 PM

Quote from: hilariousetc on September 03, 2018, 12:26:45 PM

I've given a few merits out to people who I didn't agree with, but they've certainly made the effort or put their point across articulately.

On rare occasions, I didn't give Merit to posts that are worth reading, out of fear of that being interpreted as me endorsing the user.

That can be a conundrum.

Quote from: Silent26 on September 03, 2018, 02:40:11 PM

I'm about to merit the thread but when I'm in the "Merit a post" page I realised that I don't have any sMerits left, will reserve one of my future sMerit for this thread.

There needs to be a small amount distributed to the leveled accounts each month just to have a few available for outstanding posts. I have tried to spend Mine wisely And I am now under 10. I need to PM Maxwell and tell him to send some back! Lol, I felt his account was sorely unappreciated in the merit Dept.