The correct one should be sending merit based on the post I read. I guess other would agree with me. But you should know why some people check profile before sending merits. I believe there are a lot of sold accounts, spammers, merit abusers, alt account around. Some forum members does not want to help these kind of forum members by sending merits. Even though a guy deserve merit for a specific post, I would still ignore him if he is a shit poster in general or a abuser. I have suspected a couple of local forum members of abuaing merits and I refrain sending them merits. If I feel a user does not have alt accounts, does not abuse merit, I am happy to send him a merit if his posts worth it.
Definitely. You also voice my thoughts.
. In short, merit is like freedom.
OP says that merits are freedom, but I would not so openly throw this "freedom" around, in particular to my alternative accounts. Yes, there is no punishment in the rules for transferring merits to your alts, but the same manager will frown if he sees a very similar sending of merits to certain accounts. Moreover, people who selfishly spend merits only on their specific circle, sometimes present themselves as alternatives, and once again attract attention to themselves for those who like to look for similar accounts.
OP, merits are not freedom, they are sympathy, they are gratitude and support, and sometimes it shows that people feel similarity with the thinking of another person. But the abuse of "freedom" will one way or another be reflected in the reputation of a "freedom-loving" person.