I do feel like merit is a popularity contest. It's totally worthless for Legendary members, just bragging rights yet you see Legendary members getting merited for everything.
It depends. If you are an active campaign participant, the merits are important even for legendary accounts. We have seen many campaigns where the earned merits in the last 120 days are taken into account. Nowadays, we are seeing campaigns where there is a merit-rank, enabling those with 3k or 4k of earned merits better pay rates than the rest of the participants. If you earn 2k and start thinking, now I don't care anymore and can relax, your position may be filled by someone who didn't relax. So, they have their uses. Let's call it that.
Someone who's capable of acquiring 2.000 merit in the first place is likely to earn more without any extravagant effort, firstly due to their status and secondly due to their knowledge. It's unlikely that someone with a legendary account with so much merit would sit back and relax and start posting gibberish. Creating constructive content isn't that difficult after all; it's possible if you're determined and patient enough.
However, I understand your point; this scenario is more probable with someone who ranks up from Full Member to Sr.Member or Hero, where you practically reach the peak of the signature campaign payment rates.
Excuse me sir, I realized that there are several legendary members or rank up above me, which I admire and have not put up a signature or not followed any manager's siganture campaign for a long time, their activeness is very loyal and the merits they get are increasing drastically from day to day, I assume that quality posts by some people are based on daily habbits by strengthening themselves and getting used to having a good quality mindset.
That's why I'm excited until now and embarrassed, even accounts like mine are even lazy to look for new things, they have to keep learning and not just expect fortune to come, it makes me a little surprised with myself.
regarding merit as popularity or pride, for me it is natural with his results up to that point, because I am struggling to increase rank, the biggest rival is with myself. in the past I was satisfied with my performance or did not want to develop. and in the end I blamed the situation because it was difficult to find a signature.
Now I am aware and sincere that fortune will not come if I am silent, and my presence rarely may affect the views of others.
whatever the number of merits and pay will not be the main goal if the habit is to be active and contribute to the forum, but if there are few merits for people who are always complacent, of course they will feel themselves better than others like I felt before, and I had a vacuum, a few years ago.
It's been 12 months since I became active again and I'm enjoying the ride, sir.