In some of forum sections it may be more difficult to encounter merits than others. Those more forum or bitcoin centric tend to be better off than those that altcoin related, and that is seemingly reasonable in a forum called Bitcointalk. Regardless, the content is what in general terms makes a post potentially a candidate to receiving sMerits, and I’m pretty sure that, for the most, those that do elaborate decent enough content do not have a hard time ranking-up. It does take some effort, which is not to everyone's liking.

If they do find it hard, there are always possible aids through threads here and there that review people’s posts/posting history, highlight those profiles that may need a budge in the ranking-up pipeline, or simply give some merits for some not too complex technical acomplishments related to signing messages.

When it is certainly going to be difficult is if one makes 80% of his posts on bounties, 10% in Altcoin Discussion and some more in sparse sections (see data in this external site). -> Jinx with @Lucius it seems.

Greediness, presumably to hoard sMerits, is not something I’d say is a thing. There is not real point in being "greedy" by hoarding, since one gains nothing by it (remember Merits and sMerits are not the same). There may be people less interested in the Merit System who decide not to participate in it much, but that is overly compensated by Merit Sources.