Well, before merit there were even bigger problems: massive spam and account farming. The former is still exist but account farming is pretty much impossible to do now. All the hassle with the merit system is nothing compared to the work needed to combat spammer before the system was implemented.
I think the reason for seeing such merit threads is because, it is manually given. If it were automatically merited, the infiltration of threads won't be here with us.
How do we
automatically judge which post is merit-worthy? Super advanced AI?
I mean, Theymos did have a few thousand BTCs, that did not stop him from building advanced AI if he wish to, just like Wikipedia did to detect any possible troll edits on articles.
Merit has become a distraction to members and I'm sure to the mods too (if they would admit) because they would have had so much merit issues to deal with, from merit collaborators and related issues.
Do you rather forum filled with spammers or forum with less spammers in hand
Honestly, the mods knew the risk when they signed up to be moderators nobody said it's gonna be easy.
Members now put up threads on merit issues, how to be merited and that... rather than throwing up bitcoin and related discussions.
That means you have been browsing the wrong section, I only see people protesting against Merit on Meta.
I think the reason for seeing such merit threads is because, it is manually given. If it were automatically merited, the infiltration of threads won't be here with us.
Congratulations, you just defeated the purpose of Merit System.