Now that things have changed with the ranking system, only those being active, posting, and contributing to the forum's growth can have the opportunity to grow in rank, of which i also agrees with you that it's the best measure in fighting against spam and shitpostings, if a user remains on the forum and yet never know why he needs both activities and Merits for growth indicates he never read through the Meta section here to have discover the pinned threads on Merits and new ranks requirements, such people are the lazy type that enjoys a disadvantage but never care to know why, except for those that does not have the intention of staying here.
What you say really depends on what their purpose is in the forum. You need to admit that not all forum users have the same desires and the same goals, it has been possible for them to post wherever they want regardless of the rank and merit system.
Do check out this one thread, I think you'll know what I mean. There are about 6775 users posting there since the beginning till now, some don't care about ranking, merit system or even signature campaign, but they are still very active. I quote 500 of them for your comparison.
Wall Observer BTC/USD - Bitcoin price movement tracking & discussion1. ChartBuddy [36870]
2. JayJuanGee [22048]
3. El duderino_ [14847]
4. adamstgBit [10886]
5. Last of the V8s [8283]
6. HairyMaclairy [7788]
7. LFC_Bitcoin [7512]
8. jojo69 [7269]
9. JimboToronto [5972]
10. Torque [5910]
11. bitserve [5142]
12. Fatman3001 [5050]
13. JorgeStolfi [4712]
14. BlindMayorBitcorn [4671]
15. Richy_T [4620]
16. BobLawblaw [4574]
17. d_eddie [4234]
18. Biodom [4228]
19. realr0ach [4228]
20. Toxic2040 [4212]
21. Hueristic [4177]
22. jbreher [4169]
23. xhomerx10 [4146]
24. empowering [4131]
25. billyjoeallen [3824]
26. Ibian [3689]
27. Arriemoller [3619]
28. gentlemand [3607]
29. NotLambchop [3605]
30. cAPSLOCK [3541]
31. Elwar [3437]
32. marcus_of_augustus [3367]
33. ShroomsKit [3035]
34. podyx [3024]
35. OutOfMemory [2939]
36. fonzie [2873]
37. serveria.com [2666]
38. BitcoinGirl.Club [2645]
39. Paashaas [2611]
40. VB1001 [2591]
41. sirazimuth [2573]
42. AlcoHoDL [2560]
43. spooderman [2493]
44. lightfoot [2472]
45. seleme [2457]
46. macsga [2436]
47. Davyd05 [2403]
48. philipma1957 [2394]
49. savetherainforest [2351]
50. TERA [2324]
51. infofront [2309]
52. inca [2306]
53. Rosewater Foundation [2292]
54. fillippone [2259]
55. 600watt [2252]
56. DaRude [2180]
57. derpinheimer [2160]
58. Wekkel [2130]
59. kurious [2121]
60. windjc [2095]
61. BTCMILLIONAIRE [2089]
62. tarmi [2083]
63. Cryptotourist [2041]
64. vapourminer [2020]
65. Gyrsur [1991]
66. mmitech [1984]
67. hdbuck [1983]
68. Lambie Slayer [1980]
69. BitcoinBunny [1975]
70. aminorex [1972]
71. Phil_S [1969]
72. bitcoinPsycho [1913]
73. dreamspark [1901]
74. kingcolex [1892]
75. HI-TEC99 [1887]
76. Globb0 [1791]
77. gembitz [1788]
78. somac. [1777]
79. becoin [1775]
80. Walsoraj [1752]
81. nutildah [1746]
82. wachtwoord [1724]
83. Searing [1712]
84. shmadz [1697]
85. Sitarow [1695]
86. yefi [1653]
87. oda.krell [1647]
88. N12 [1628]
89. goldkingcoiner [1604]
90. Rampion [1553]
91. mindrust [1534]
92. molecular [1516]
93. shahzadafzal [1485]
94. JSRAW [1483]
95. Meuh6879 [1480]
96. noobtrader [1468]
97. ivomm [1462]
98. Raja_MBZ [1433]
99. Cconvert2G36 [1402]
100. r0ach [1400]
101. aztecminer [1357]
102. bones261 [1356]
103. Icygreen [1337]
104. bitebits [1332]
105. magicmexican [1261]
106. ImI [1245]
107. Tzupy [1245]
108. luckygenough56 [1233]
109. jonoiv [1218]
110. explorer [1214]
111. Dabs [1213]
112. ssmc2 [1203]
113. Karartma1 [1188]
114. Wandererfromthenorth [1153]
115. TERA2 [1152]
116. UnDerDoG81 [1145]
117. PoolMinor [1141]
118. Frozenlock [1092]
119. vroom [1083]
120. Erdogan [1078]
121. mymenace [1076]
122. Gachapin [1072]
123. gizmoh [1048]
124. chessnut [1030]
125. criptix [1030]
126. Spaceman_Spiff [1019]
127. rjclarke2000 [1008]
128. rpietila [1007]
129. eXPHorizon [1004]
130. kenzawak [1003]
131. cbeast [1002]
132. soullyG [990]
133. phoenix1 [989]
134. peonminer [963]
135. AlexGR [953]
136. barbs [944]
137. findftp [932]
138. Hyperjacked [926]
139. Newbie1022 [920]
140. gandhibt [908]
141. Miz4r [879]
142. Fakhoury [878]
143. conspirosphere.tk [878]
144. ElectricMucus [871]
145. toknormal [865]
146. aesma [863]
147. grappa_barricata [855]
148. niothor [849]
149. bassclef [847]
150. Its About Sharing [840]
151. strawbs [833]
152. Ted E. Bare [830]
153. BitChick [808]
154. octaft [807]
155. rdbase [807]
156. Syke [803]
157. hyphymikey [801]
158. samson [795]
159. damiano [776]
160. Adrian-x [775]
161. Norway [772]
162. SheHadMANHands [768]
163. fonsie [764]
164. YourMother [757]
165. Parazyd [752]
166. julian071 [746]
167. ChrisML [739]
168. ImThour [735]
169. Killerpotleaf [727]
170. sAt0sHiFanClub [717]
171. nanobrain [710]
172. solex [707]
173. European Central Bank [706]
174. QuestionAuthority [704]
175. notme [703]
176. abercrombie [700]
177. DougTanner [696]
178. dragonvslinux [696]
179. Coinseeker [682]
180. Vycid [677]
181. york780 [673]
182. mah87 [668]
183. ErisDiscordia [658]
184. Dotto [657]
185. Cassius [646]
186. Ludwig Von [645]
187. brg444 [645]
188. heslo [645]
189. CryptStorm [644]
190. RoomBot [644]
191. Wilhelm [644]
192. makrospex [643]
193. KeyserSoze [642]
194. justusranvier [639]
195. klee [633]
196. Kylapoiss [620]
197. MoreFun [615]
198. EuroTrash [613]
199. T.Stuart [612]
200. alexeft [608]
201. bkbirge [606]
202. LUCKMCFLY [605]
203. eddie13 [599]
204. Morecoin Freeman [598]
205. rolling [587]
206. Mervyn_Pumpkinhead [583]
207. fr33d0miz3r [580]
208. Ivanhoe [578]
209. MinermanNC [578]
210. byronbb [574]
211. nioc [574]
212. cygan [570]
213. Lauda [569]
214. bargainbin [565]
215. MAbtc [562]
216. _javi_ [560]
217. OldGeek [556]
218. DeathAngel [550]
219. proudhon [550]
220. edwardspitz [549]
221. crazy_rabbit [545]
222. fabiorem [545]
223. nullius [544]
224. BitUsher [538]
225. fluidjax [538]
226. hv_ [537]
227. surfer43 [536]
228. arklan [531]
229. BayAreaCoins [524]
230. KFR [524]
231. P_Shep [522]
232. machasm [519]
233. Nightowlace [516]
234. ardana123 [510]
235. Voodah [509]
236. lucas.sev [509]
237. Anon136 [508]
238. pfrtlpfmpf [505]
239. B1tUnl0ck3r [498]
240. Totscha [498]
241. nanobtc [498]
242. Dragonkiller [493]
243. Dump3er [493]
244. hisslyness [489]
245. Hunyadi [488]
246. STT [487]
247. Chef Ramsay [485]
248. NewLiberty [484]
249. prophetx [480]
250. RayX12 [479]
251. Vigil [479]
252. Peter R [467]
253. Bitcoinaire [466]
254. flynn [466]
255. Denker [465]
256. keithers [464]
257. seriouscoin [464]
258. suchmoon [463]
259. Dakustaking76 [462]
260. micalith [459]
261. TheKoziTwo [456]
262. orpington [454]
263. akujin [449]
264. coinableS [449]
265. Mrpumperitis [447]
266. samsonn25 [446]
267. roslinpl [441]
268. NamelessOne [438]
269. medialab101 [435]
270. Holliday [433]
271. dakota neat [433]
272. death_wish [433]
273. bitcoinvest [427]
274. rebal15 [425]
275. WeltMaster [424]
276. Feri22 [421]
277. maz [419]
278. MatTheCat [418]
279. StartupAnalyst [417]
280. Andre# [414]
281. lyth0s [414]
282. NotHatinJustTrollin [413]
283. hd060053 [413]
284. SnokkomBTC [411]
285. Patel [407]
286. silverfuture [407]
287. GreekGeek [406]
288. Spaceman_Spiff_Original [405]
289. keewee [404]
290. rebuilder [401]
291. Heater [392]
292. Negotiation [389]
293. hlynur [388]
294. Krabby [385]
295. Majormax [379]
296. esse83 [379]
297. Loozik [378]
298. Sayeds56 [377]
299. FNG [369]
300. itod [369]
301. Asrael999 [368]
302. hodl_2015 [368]
303. mb300sd [368]
304. humanitee [367]
305. aysg76 [366]
306. coins101 [363]
307. madmat [362]
308. dieselmeister [361]
309. MickeyT2008 [357]
310. Hamza2424 [355]
311. dgarcia [354]
312. fitty [352]
313. Krubster [350]
314. FractalUniverse [348]
315. mooncake [347]
316. BlackSpidy [345]
317. Odalv [345]
318. alevlaslo [342]
319. friends1980 [339]
320. psycodad [338]
321. virtualfaqs [337]
322. Copetech [335]
323. elasticband [335]
324. hmmmstrange [335]
325. ghandi [334]
326. razorramon [333]
327. xyzzy099 [332]
328. Sandia [330]
329. Indymoney [328]
330. Raystonn [326]
331. janos666 [326]
332. kkaspar [323]
333. rafanadal [322]
334. Jozzaboy [321]
335. deepcolderwallet [317]
336. mccorvic [313]
337. spiderbrain [312]
338. theonewhowaskazu [312]
339. AZwarel [311]
340. bad trader [311]
341. 8up [310]
342. Nemesis [307]
343. TeeBone [307]
344. galdur [306]
345. Jaroslaw [303]
346. Wary [303]
347. dropt [303]
348. p0peji [303]
349. pacman7331 [303]
350. Neo_Coin [301]
351. seljo [301]
352. Farmer Bill [299]
353. Wolf Rainer [297]
354. ragnar0k [297]
355. BitcoinNewsMagazine [295]
356. LoyceV [295]
357. haightst [295]
358. Ezmoneyezlife [294]
359. GaliX [293]
360. fragout [293]
361. freethink2013 [292]
362. Bagatell [289]
363. koryu [289]
364. modrobert [289]
365. ejinte [287]
366. thefunkybits [287]
367. Nemo1024 [285]
368. kodtycoon [285]
369. RejectedBanana [282]
370. michaelGedi [282]
371. kehtolo [279]
372. YogoH [278]
373. vokain [277]
374. Brewins [276]
375. NeuroticFish [276]
376. fotosonics [276]
377. uhoh [276]
378. simmo77 [275]
379. creekbore [274]
380. Wexlike [269]
381. Stevenirving [268]
382. pjviitas [268]
383. 12345mm [267]
384. Kazu [266]
385. falllling [266]
386. Febo [265]
387. gallianooo [265]
388. True Myth [263]
389. elrippos friend [263]
390. starmman [263]
391. Tash [262]
392. Saint-loup [259]
393. mike4001 [258]
394. BitPirate [256]
395. Mythul [256]
396. jl2012 [256]
397. Millionero [253]
398. wonkytonky [253]
399. OROBTC [252]
400. ShroomsKit_Disgrace [252]
401. TReano [252]
402. heartastack [252]
403. San1ty [251]
404. jaberwock [251]
405. Dilla [250]
406. crypmike [250]
407. MrPiggles [249]
408. stereotype [248]
409. USB-S [247]
410. Dalib [246]
411. cyclotronmajesty [245]
412. Chalkbot [244]
413. Lucius [243]
414. TheJuice [242]
415. MikeH [241]
416. minerpumpkin [241]
417. ensurance982 [240]
418. redsn0w [239]
419. DieJohnny [237]
420. SkyValeey [237]
421. bitcodo [237]
422. blatchcorn [237]
423. freebit13 [237]
424. yrtrnc [237]
425. Kupsi [236]
426. el_rlee [236]
427. manfred [236]
428. nikauforest [236]
429. cmacwiz [235]
430. NoorulHuda [233]
431. mrkavasaki [231]
432. smoothie [230]
433. F-bernanke [229]
434. BBmodBB [228]
435. dexX7 [228]
436. erre [228]
437. HanvanBitcoin [227]
438. rezurect [226]
439. Thomas-s [225]
440. ft73 [225]
441. sidhujag [224]
442. FullNode [223]
443. WatChe [223]
444. kireinaha [223]
445. tHash [223]
446. Retina [222]
447. KryptoFoo [221]
448. OWZ1337 [220]
449. _javier_ [220]
450. blunderer [220]
451. pera [220]
452. soxxx [219]
453. Zangelbert Bingledack [218]
454. Bitcoin_is_here_to_stay [217]
455. Omikifuse [216]
456. Schickeria [216]
457. boumalo [216]
458. granathus [215]
459. John999 [214]
460. Richard Branson [213]
461. SuperTA [212]
462. milkshock100 [212]
463. Mirsad [210]
464. porcupine87 [210]
465. Abandon [209]
466. BldSwtTrs [209]
467. qwizzie [209]
468. suda123 [209]
469. yolalanda [209]
470. stompix [208]
471. Gab0 [207]
472. Biro Bob [206]
473. David M [206]
474. afbitcoins [206]
475. lebing [206]
476. pietje [206]
477. thezerg [206]
478. mellowyellow [204]
479. naim027 [204]
480. FTWbitcoinFTW [203]
481. lemonte [203]
482. zyk [203]
483. AirFlame [202]
484. dnaleor [202]
485. petahashminer [202]
486. OgNasty [201]
487. njcarlos [201]
488. MrFreeRoMan [200]
489. sarc [198]
490. TheCoinBull [197]
491. hmmkay [197]
492. dumbfbrankings [196]
493. Malin Keshar [195]
494. igorr [195]
495. leowonderful [194]
496. bobdude17 [193]
497. cbutters [193]
498. kirreev070 [193]
499. Alley [192]
500. BrewCrewFan [192]