As a newbie, I read many posts that has quality. After reading the posts I'll feel like to merit the post, but as a newbie, I might not have a sendable merit, I will have no option than to slide on.
Assuming there is an alternative to merit just like "Facebook like" along side merit, it would favour me.
Atleast if I don't have merit to give, I will just click like and move on pending when I'll have merit to award the user.
This proposed "like" might likely not be used by admins, or neither shall it determine ranking, but it should just be a mere appreciation for a quality post when merit is lacking.
Merits are already enough. Implementing like just for those who doesn't have sendable merits would just simply eradicate the idea of meriting. Why? Merit already boosts someone's confidence when he/she receives one (a rewarding-like feeling for your efforts), and "Likes" on the other hand tends to give you the same feeling and worse is some can be boastful about it (if calculated on one's profile). It is not that necessary to implement a "liking" system for a forum that already has a better one.