Merits Tree 2021 - Who gives merits to whom

[joker_josue]

I thought it would be interesting to see the path that merits take, that is, to observe who receives merits for who sends them next.

So, with the help of the data provided by LoyceV here, he built this tree of the most generous users' merits (based on the Coin-1 table, here).

How it works?
Let's look at three levels of sent de merits. The first level refers to the generous main user. On the second level we will see the 3 users who received the most merits from the main one. And on the third level, we will see the 3 users who received the most merits from the generous second.

The data are for the year 2021. Later I will be able to do it for previous years (according to acceptance of this analysis).


I will present the top 10 of the most generous users to give merits. Anyone who wishes can request their "tree" in this topic.

Merits Tree
Top 1-10 | Top 11-30 | Top 31-50 | Top 51-75

Description:
FIRST USER > TOP THREE OF FIRST USER (NO. MERITS RECEIVED FROM PREVIOUS LEVEL) > TOP THREE OF SECOND USERS (NO. MERITS RECEIVED FROM PREVIOUS LEVEL)


Top 1-10

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► libert19 (104)
	┌	nutildah (126)	► igehhh (103)
	│		► Raytheon (100)
	│
	│		► suchmoon (27)
suchmoon	┼	DireWolfM14 (113)	► nutildah (14)
	│		► o_e_l_e_o (12)
	│
	│		► franky1 (21)
	└	Cnut237 (89)	► Poker Player (16)
			► o_e_l_e_o (13)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► pooya87 (8 )
	┌	mocacinno (183)	► ranochigo (7)
	│		► NotATether (7)
	│
	│		► pooya87 (37)
LoyceV	┼	NotATether (179)	► garlonicon (36)
	│		► Jean_Luc (35)
	│
	│		► achow101 (54)
	└	HCP (171)	► DannyHamilton (53)
			► nc50lc (45)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► mu_enrico (5)
	┌	masulum (16)	► Husna QA (4)
	│		► TWW (2)
	│
	│		► joker_josue (127)
dbshck	┼	bitmover (16)	► sabotag3x (108)
	│		► alegotardo (77)
	│
	│		► MAAManda (10)
	└	abhiseshakana (14)	► Farul (7)
			► mu_enrico (6)

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► jeremypwr (481)
	┌	LFC_Bitcoin (421)	► El duderino_ (450)
	│		► Bitcasino.io Support (351)
	│
	│		► El duderino_ (80)
El duderino_	┼	Torque (380)	► BobLawblaw (40)
	│		► BitcoinBunny (27)
	│
	│		► El duderino_ (127)
	└	Hueristic (327)	► JayJuanGee (66)
			► cAPSLOCK (33)

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► Ratimov (102)
	┌	zasad@ (270)	► Bohdan820 (34)
	│		► xandry (18)
	│
	│		► Ratimov (223)
Ratimov	┼	Julien_Olynpic (270)	► Unbunplease (67)
	│		► Snork1979 (67)
	│
	│		► Ratimov (26)
	└	cryptomaxsun (248)	► delfastTions (12)
			► xandry (11)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► Plutosky (491)
	┌	fillippone (334)	► babo (423)
	│		► duesoldi (407)
	│
	│		► LFC_Bitcoin (421)
JayJuanGee	┼	El duderino_ (287)	► Torque (380)
	│		► Hueristic (327)
	│
	│		► JayJuanGee (126)
	└	AlcoHoDL (217)	► OutOfMemory (33)
			► cAPSLOCK (29)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► fillippone (89)
	┌	Plutosky (491)	► babo (42)
	│		► acquafredda (36)
	│
	│		► fillippone (281)
fillippone	┼	babo (423)	► Plutosky (69)
	│		► Paolo.Demidov (55)
	│
	│		► fillippone (125)
	└	duesoldi (407)	► Plutosky (42)
			► babo (26)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► pooya87 (37)
	┌	NotATether (344)	► garlonicon (36)
	│		► Jean_Luc (35)
	│
	│		► o_e_l_e_o (147)
ETFbitcoin	┼	pooya87 (328)	► BlackHatCoiner (120)
	│		► ranochigo (101)
	│
	│		► BlackHatCoiner (10)
	└	DannyHamilton (248)	► PrimeNumber7 (10)
			► kano (10)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► pooya87 (22)
	┌	gmaxwell (108)	► Calculus99 (20)
	│		► DooMAD (17)
	│
	│		► pooya87 (222)
Foxpup	┼	o_e_l_e_o (75)	► NeuroticFish (134)
	│		► BlackHatCoiner (124)
	│
	│		► nutildah (126)
	└	suchmoon (47)	► DireWolfM14 (113)
			► Cnut237 (89)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► DdmrDdmr (25)
	┌	famososMuertos (310)	► LUCKMCFLY (21)
	│		► Hispo (21)
	│
	│		► DdmrDdmr (58)
DdmrDdmr	┼	Silberman (212)	► paxmao (47)
	│		► LUCKMCFLY (35)
	│
	│		► DdmrDdmr (99)
	└	Hispo (211)	► famososMuertos (13)
			► LUCKMCFLY (11)

Top 11-30

[joker_josue]

Reserved

[joker_josue]

Reserved

[fillippone]

Very interesting.
You can see some patterns here.
What really bugs me is users receiving many merits and not sending enough.
As a merit source, I often question myself about this.

[NeuroticFish]

Very interesting.
You can see some patterns here.

Patterns will always exists. People do browse the forum by their interests and this has a high potential of creating merit circles/"gangs".

What really bugs me is users receiving many merits and not sending enough.
As a merit source, I often question myself about this.

This is pretty normal. I guess that some very high value posters simply don't spend that much time on the forum or don't care much on meriting others. They still help.
I think I've read even about merit sources no longer being that much active. It happens...

It's also about standards. I expect some have higher standards after which they consider posts valuable, hence they probably have hard time spending their merit.

[libert19]

^^ Just to clarify, 100 merits were given to me by Nutildah under The Bitcointalk Urban Achievers Merit Scholarship Program

Regarding sMerits, if something worthy comes across I spend but don't go out of way.

[joker_josue]

Very interesting.
You can see some patterns here.
What really bugs me is users receiving many merits and not sending enough.
As a merit source, I often question myself about this.

It's true, I noticed that a lot when I was building this topic. It is also curious that usually a good part of merits go back to the first donor.

But there it is, as @NeuroticFish said, this circular of merits turns out to be normal because of common interests.

[babo]

Patterns will always exists. People do browse the forum by their interests and this has a high potential of creating merit circles/"gangs".

it always depends on the situations
a person with Legendary rank has no advantages in receiving merits, as much as in spending them to incremental the pool of reliable users (with high rank)
we always remember the reason why merits were born, they were born to avoid account farming
their role stops at that (in fact in the forums dedicated to account farming they have stopped considering bitcointalk as a playground)

This is pretty normal. I guess that some very high value posters simply don't spend that much time on the forum or don't care much on meriting others. They still help.
I think I've read even about merit sources no longer being that much active. It happens...

It's also about standards. I expect some have higher standards after which they consider posts valuable, hence they probably have hard time spending their merit.

here too, I want to remind you that distributing merits is on a voluntary basis
so it's unrewarding work

Theymos also said that it is subjective and not questionable how the merits are spent, indeed .. according to him it is better to spend them than to keep them

since keeping merits is useless

[NeuroticFish]

so it's unrewarding work

This is not always true, based on human psychology.
I've noticed that since I'm merit source I also receive more merits. And it can't be that my post have become that much better
There was a topic (I won't search now) about people getting inclined to give merits back from where they've received it. Back then I didn't think that's possible, now I tend to agree that it does happen.

So it can become rewarding as position (merits received). Which some will care about and some won't.

[babo]

so it's unrewarding work

This is not always true, based on human psychology.
I've noticed that since I'm merit source I also receive more merits. And it can't be that my post have become that much better
There was a topic (I won't search now) about people getting inclined to give merits back from where they've received it. Back then I didn't think that's possible, now I tend to agree that it does happen.

So it can become rewarding as position (merits received).

I think it is due to the fact that being also a source of merit, you have become even more attentive to how you write and what you write
consequently this responsibility has increased your quality of posts, consequently this plus other effects (such as gratitude) tend to increase in% the dose of merits received

there is no particular pattern, just a series of small things that happen and that concur in some particular cycles


look for example at me / fillippone / duesoldi, we are part of the Italian community, very small
we are trying to grow it, but in the end the active users are always around 40-50
in the end the ones talking are always the ones

I basically prefer (if I can choose) to give my merits according to this criterion (in order of importance)
- users with low rank
- users of the local board

unfortunately it is not always possible and at the end of the 30 days I have to spend the merits (otherwise they expire)
I prefer to give them to people who in turn spend the merits received in order to have a higher efficiency (from merits)

and therefore that they give them to others

[NeuroticFish]

I basically prefer (if I can choose) to give my merits according to this criterion (in order of importance)
- users with low rank
- users of the local board

With very small number of exceptions, I never merit based on user. I merit the post. If the post deserves something, I'll give it that.
I am also not overly generous, the vast majority of merits I give is in the 1-3 range.
I also merit the local board, but it's not as active as I'd like, so most of my merit goes "international".

[libert19]

Patterns will always exists. People do browse the forum by their interests and this has a high potential of creating merit circles/"gangs".

a person with Legendary rank has no advantages in receiving merits, as much as in spending them to incremental the pool of reliable users (with high rank)

Exactly, I love your comment but won't merit it cause you are already leggy plus for me it's rather rare sight to earn merits (ik improve post quality). Would rather hold whatever some are left and spend when opportunity arises (good post + rank < leggy).

[babo]

With very small number of exceptions, I never merit based on user. I merit the post. If the post deserves something, I'll give it that.
I am also not overly generous, the vast majority of merits I give is in the 1-3 range.
I also merit the local board, but it's not as active as I'd like, so most of my merit goes "international".

everyone has their own strategy
there is no right strategy or wrong strategy
there is giving merits following a more or less "good" criterion

in the end, if you deserve a user or deserve a post you are still making a selection

for example I usually boost the brand new with 1-2 merits to make them understand that I am not one who belongs to the Legendary caste and wants to keep the Legendary number as low as possible

I want a live, active forum that discusses and talks (even argues there is)

I don't want a forum overrun by spammers who want to do account farming

so any strategy that nurtures people with good intentions is fine, yours included

[joker_josue]

everyone has their own strategy
there is no right strategy or wrong strategy
there is giving merits following a more or less "good" criterion

I believe that merits must be given, regardless of the user's level. Merits are a form of reward for a user's post, like an applause for what he said/did.

Therefore, regardless of the strategy used, everyone can be entitled to receive merit.



Soon, I will add more users to the tree. 

[fillippone]

Soon, I will add more users to the tree. 

I think it would be interesting to see more of those trees.
It might also be a nice addition to website like ddmrddmr merit dashboard, or Loyce website or even bpip.org.

[joker_josue]

Top 1-10
Top 11-30 (Some users may not appear, for not having given merits in 2021.)
Top 31-50
Top 51-75

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► Ratimov (26)
	┌	cryptomaxsun (173)	► delfastTions (12)
	│		► xandry (11)
	│
	│		► zasad@ (270)
xandry	┼	Ratimov (113)	► Julien_Olynpic (270)
	│		► cryptomaxsun (248)
	│
	│		►N/A
	└	esmanthra (111)	►N/A
			►N/A
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► pooya87 (222)
	┌	o_e_l_e_o (111)	► NeuroticFish (134)
	│		► BlackHatCoiner (124)
	│
	│		► Phil_S (45)
vapourminer	┼	philipma1957 (96)	► El duderino_ (42)
	│		► yefi (30)
	│
	│		► JayJuanGee (126)
	└	AlcoHoDL (94)	► OutOfMemory (33)
			► cAPSLOCK (29)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► OmegaStarScream (45)
	┌	khaled0111 (180)	► yhiaali3 (15)
	│		► mikeywith (14)
	│
	│		► khaled0111 (98)
hugeblack	┼	OmegaStarScream (156)	► yhiaali3 (46)
	│		► Kavelj22 (40)
	│
	│		► philipma1957 (131)
	└	mikeywith (135)	► NotFuzzyWarm (100)
			► stompix (82)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► pooya87 (222)
	┌	o_e_l_e_o (162)	► NeuroticFish (134)
	│		► BlackHatCoiner (124)
	│
	│		► o_e_l_e_o (107)
Welsh	┼	Pmalek (116)	► Rikafip (64)
	│		► casperBGD (60)
	│
	│		► mocacinno (183)
	└	LoyceV (115)	► NotATether (179)
			► HCP (171)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► Bitcasino.io Support (57)
	┌	jeremypwr (481)	► buwaytress (57)
	│		► sportsbet.io (35)
	│
	│		► LFC_Bitcoin (421)
LFC_Bitcoin	┼	El duderino_ (450)	► Torque (380)
	│		► Hueristic (327)
	│
	│		► Kakmakr (26)
	└	Bitcasino.io Support (351)	► LUCKMCFLY (22)
			► ralle14 (19)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► Halab (32)
	┌	LeGaulois (264)	► Saint-loup (30)
	│		► Eclipse33 (27)
	│
	│		► Halab (28)
Halab	┼	Saint-loup (166)	► LeGaulois (13)
	│		► patrickus (10)
	│
	│		► Halab (23)
	└	GrosWesh (159)	► LeGaulois (16)
			► elma (15)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► LFC_Bitcoin (421)
	┌	El duderino_ (55)	► Torque (380)
	│		► Hueristic (327)
	│
	│		► zasad@ (270)
theymos	┼	Ratimov (51)	► Julien_Olynpic (270)
	│		► cryptomaxsun (248)
	│
	│		► cAPSLOCK (18)
	└	Elwar (50)	► Torque (13)
			► BobLawblaw (13)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► MinoRaiola (27)
	┌	-doubleU- (122)	► mole0815 (19)
	│		► 1miau (18)
	│
	│		► bitcoincidence (47)
qwk	┼	MinoRaiola (111)	► -doubleU- (33)
	│		► mole0815 (28)
	│
	│		► Lakai01 (17)
	└	BTCLiz (92)	► 1miau (11)
			► cygan (10)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► CryptopreneurBrainboss (32)
	┌	Mpamaegbu (200)	► Smartvirus (12)
	│		► igehhh (12)
	│
	│		► skarais (21)
The Pharmacist	┼	ShowOff (199)	► MAAManda (12)
	│		► Husna QA (11)
	│
	│		► ShowOff (7)
	└	BITCOIN4X (198)	► Husna QA (6)
			► DdmrDdmr (6)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► Poker Player (3)
	┌	FinneysTrueVision (60)	► arallmuus (2)
	│		► virtualdn (2)
	│
	│		► pooya87 (37)
DarkStar_	┼	NotATether (50)	► garlonicon (36)
	│		► Jean_Luc (35)
	│
	│		► Luzin (9)
	└	vv181 (50)	► Husna QA (7)
			► mu_enrico (6)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			►N/A
	┌	satoshi (300)	►N/A
	│		►N/A
	│
	│		►N/A
EFS	┼	Hal (299)	►N/A
	│		►N/A
	│
	│		►N/A
	└	Gavin Andresen (250)	►N/A
			►N/A
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			►N/A
	┌	satoshi (350)	►N/A
	│		►N/A
	│
	│		►N/A
OgNasty	┼	Hal (199)	►N/A
	│		►N/A
	│
	│		►N/A
	└	Gavin Andresen (100)	►N/A
			►N/A
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► mikeywith (10)
	┌	wndsnb (17)	►#N/D (4)
	│		► NotFuzzyWarm (2)
	│
	│		►N/A
frodocooper	┼	jstefanop (10)	►N/A
	│		►N/A
	│
	│		► wndsnb (10)
	└	NoKeyboard-BTW (10)	► mikeywith (2)
			► thierry4wd (2)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► o_e_l_e_o (147)
	┌	pooya87 (222)	► BlackHatCoiner (120)
	│		► ranochigo (101)
	│
	│		► o_e_l_e_o (110)
o_e_l_e_o	┼	NeuroticFish (134)	► GazetaBitcoin (108)
	│		► LoyceV (75)
	│
	│		► o_e_l_e_o (182)
	└	BlackHatCoiner (124)	► pooya87 (85)
			► DannyHamilton (61)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► DdmrDdmr (61)
	┌	d5000 (188)	► 1miau (19)
	│		► LUCKMCFLY (12)
	│
	│		► 1miau (78)
1miau	┼	bullrun2020bro (166)	► seek3r (67)
	│		► qwk (10)
	│
	│		► -doubleU- (122)
	└	qwk (137)	► MinoRaiola (111)
			► BTCLiz (92)
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇	◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
			► famososMuertos (310)
	┌	DdmrDdmr (337)	► Silberman (212)
	│		► Hispo (211)
	│
	│		► DdmrDdmr (25)
paxmao	┼	famososMuertos (93)	► LUCKMCFLY (21)
	│		► Hispo (21)
	│
	│		► Mpamaegbu (200)
	└	The Pharmacist (90)	► ShowOff (199)
			► BITCOIN4X (198)

[Oshosondy]

Good work OP

I believe that merits must be given, regardless of the user's level. Merits are a form of reward for a user's post, like an applause for what he said/did.

Therefore, regardless of the strategy used, everyone can be entitled to receive merit.

It is true that some members are receiving merits but not sending, this can be because the user is not active like before, like Satoshi and Hal. Some people have no much time to the extent some do not have the maximum posts required for weekly post requirements, some even do not join a campaign and have no much time but are only here once in awhile for little time to post something quality that will get them merit from other users.

But one thing I like about merit and smerit given is that if a member is good and spending quality time and post on this forum, such members are easy to rank up. People think differently, some people are active but strict in giving smerits but it still happens in a way only spammers and other no quality posters are unable to rank as they are the only one left out to be merited. There could be some bias in merit and smerit receiving and giving but it still works in a way no good poster is left out.

[DireWolfM14]

It wouldn't be new years' weekend without a merited Meta thread about Merit.

Happy New Year, all.

[tranthidung]

It is very long time and LoyceV did not update his threads

• Merit Backscratchers: who scratched who's back the most?
• [parody] Merit Backstabbers: who stabbed who in the back the most?

I expect LoyceV to update those threads after more than 1 year 

[The Sceptical Chymist]

What really bugs me is users receiving many merits and not sending enough.

I've expressed this sentiment before: People are free to do whatever they like with their sMerits, and it isn't a requirement of forum membership that you have to participate in--or even like--the merit system.  I'd say if it bugs you that someone is hoarding merits, you're probably paying too much attention to other members' sending history. 

OP, this is a pretty cool visual representation of merit flow between selected members, and I'd like to see more (which I'm assuming is the purpose of your reserved posts).  I've seen very complicated merit maps before, and while those are cool I like this more limited display of where merit ends up two members removed from a merit source.  I'm assuming they're merit sources if they're on the most generous list.

It wouldn't be new years' weekend without a merited Meta thread about Merit.

Yeah, what's up with that?  I've noticed at least two threads like that in the past couple of days.