I do not connect the validity or value of any post by Karma or Thanks. I see them only as someone expressing appreciation for an attempt at helping. Nothing more, nothing less. I do not now, nor have I ever, associated either 'Thanks' or Karma with the professional credibility or knowledge of a poster. I really don't think many people do.
There is no way in this forum to assess the credibility of any poster other than to make a personal judgment by looking at that users posts in general and in contrast to answers others give. Even then, it's a 'best guess'. If anyone is using Karma or Thanks to assess the validity of someones posts, my opinion is they are using a false guide.
I put in the 'Thanks' mod because I believe people like to know that others do appreciate their help. I could disable both 'Thanks' and Karma. From a world view, we could also eliminate any recognition of someone trying to help someone else if we look at it from a 'sour grapes' view. If someone helps me out, why send a card, or buy them a dinner, or even say thanks? And if someone does tell me thanks, what does that have to do with my professional credibility or knowledge?
As to the Karma formula, is it so bad to give a person credit for the length of time they have been visiting and related factors? Are the clubs like the Lions Club wrong to give out recognition certificates or other acknowledgment to those who have been in the club for years helping people out? Should clubs like that give equal weight to someone who joined last year vs. someone who has been involved for 20 years or more? Can we put in a 'sour grapes' argument in regard to such recognition? Sure we can. Just because someone has been around for 20 years helping out they're no better than the guy who just joined, is he? I think the 'Better Than' argument is irrelevant. I don't think that 'better than' is part of it.
Taken to the extreme, we could easily extrapolate that to the world. No one should thank anyone for anything, because if they do it is nothing more than a 'flag they can wave' in others faces, and it is a contest. There should be no recognition of appreciation for anything.
My view of both Karma and Thanks is simply that they are indicators of people expressing appreciation, unrelated to professional credibility or knowledge. They are no more than 'Thank You' notes people send when they appreciate something someone did for them. In my opinion, reading anything more into Karma and Thanks is silly. If we cannot share ideas, help each other, and make friends AND tell others Thank You! now and again, I cannot even conceive of what it would be like - Here or anywhere. It's not a contest. If you do a kindness for someone and they say Thank You, does that make it a contest and therefore bad in some way?
As a last comment, I have not seen anyone 'waving a flag' or in any way 'advertising' their Karma or number of Thanks. I do think some (many) people are proud of their Karma and/or Thanks. Some people (my self included) do like recognition from time to time for things they do. In my eyes, that doesn't mean we're in a contest. When I see someone with a high Thanks count, for example, I do see it as an indicator that many people appreciate a person. I do not think that is bad. We do share ideas, help each other, and make friends here. I don't believe that Thanks or Karma in any way impedes what we do here. I personally believe that Karma and Thanks are also incentives for people to come back and to help and interact more. People do tend to help more when they feel their efforts are appreciated, and I do not think that is a bad thing.