In addition, outside this website, these merits don't mean anything and can not be used at all.
To be honest, I do not quite understand as well. I am grateful for the merits that were given to me, but I genuinely do not understand why so many people are hung up on getting them. They said it was for the signature campaigns, but I guess if you do not have services to offer and are just here to learn cryptocurrency and communicate with other crypto users then it should not matter much? After all, it is not like we can trade them for bitcoins, right?
They don't mean anything in the real world? Merits get you laid. Scientific fact. There's a reason people call them pussy points. Next time you're trying to impress a lady whip out your phone and show her your merit page. Instant aphrodisiac. Though maybe it depends on how many you have. One or two probably isn't impressive but when you're one of the merit big boys like me I have to beat women off me. It's a gift and a curse.
After all, it is not like we can trade them for bitcoins, right?
You can. People sell merits and it'll probably become big business. Most people will probably just cough up for Copper Membership rather than buy the one merit to become Junior though, but to become higher ranks merit will become increasingly harder to get and more valuable/costly.