"We all have the same access to information in the forum, and we have the same amount of freedom to discuss about Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in general" Yes, I strongly believe this, maybe the major difference is some came earlier than others and maybe others are knowledgeable than some.
Yeap, hence why you should specifically focus on gaining knowledge and not necessarily achieving a higher rank. Don't get me wrong, I love Bitcointalk, but a higher rank won't get you much anywhere, but high levels of knowledge would get you almost anywhere.