This merit rule has long been applied, but for so long we as a newbie to get the merit even though it's only one merit.  

Rank                  Required activity            Required merit
Brand new                    0                            0
Newbie                         1                            0
Jr Member                   30                            1
Member                       60                           10
Full Member                120                           100
Sr. Member                 240                           250
Hero Member              480                           500


maybe getting merit is not impossible, sooner or later you might get it, but in what way can a NEWBIE get it? do you have to buy? it doesn't feel fair and doesn't need to be done, but many people who say improve your posts in order to get merit, but what kind of posts do you deserve to get merit? because there is no standard for that, I am a newbie even though later making good posts in my own opinion is not necessarily according to other people and if good according to others it is not necessarily he will give merit this makes the newbie desperate even though there is a lot to learn from the bitcointalk forum this was like a bounty but what a rank newbie limited me to study it.

But for newbies keep working hard to get merit the right way. believe me someday you will get it as well as me!

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=3232693.msg33646534#msg33646534
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2818350.msg28856522#msg28856522