Most people that are already participating in signature campaigns are terrible posters, most of their content is junk and a harm to a normal person's brain. It is already too easy to earn merit, and there are too many old accounts that are used to for spamming purposes.
Earning merit is easy if one tries to make substantial contributions. Whatever the reason that they want to earn merit is irrelevant to the earning part.
I actually want to kick your ass after I read "too easy to earn merit", but I check your merit history, you proved your words. Many other users aren't concerned about merit because they work with each other in their local board. Since you're really earn merit in a fair way, I have to say many people aren't as smart as you, hence it's hard.
Those that complain are just doing so because of nefarious reasons. Why would someone care if they didn't earn enough merit for months or years unless they are here to shitpost for money? Nobody is not entitled to receive money for posting, so where is the problem?
It's true, there's always a reason why someone complain about something.
Usually I read a thread in Beginner & Help section where a newbie account asking how to be active or something like that, I mean there's not even any rule an user must active to make a post, it's completely fine if someone want to be a silent reader.