...if I think the following discussion/debunking is worthwhile or interesting. I suppose we all have our reasons.

I rec. many OPs, regardless of the number of recs because I read a title that I find interesting and the text then that I find interesting and agreeable. I certainly don't rec a post I disagree with.

I just give special attention when I see those close to a milestone.

apart from the qualification of 5 to get on the Greatest page.

I will go to great lengths for a check mark or a sticky ... My lunch box needs more decoration ...

I try to be liberal with praise for others, even if I still remember when they have been shits to me online.

In person, as I resemble Luca Brasi from far off, most people tend to agree with me.

I totally understand where you are coming from, but.
If I rec a post, I treat that as my voice, saying yeah. And I treat my voice with respect, not numbers. And I treat all DUrs
Just as if I was talking to them, on the street .
I've never talked to a stranger, and started with, how many recs you got?
I read every topic conversation daily here, if the title, interests me , I read, if it doesn't, I move on.
My opinion, the one flaw, in an otherwise, really great website, is
The home page, is on recs. Not topics.
And I can't figure out how. To change that

Koz

but even if a title doesn't interest me, if I see a 24 rec., I take a look. It may be about kittens or something that wouldn't generally interest me, but I will open the thread and push it over the top.

I also wish it was more obvious on how to pull up meaningful OPs. The home page "Trending" seems to roll over so quickly that really good ones don't last there.

I'll also periodically just go to the "Latest" and look at interesting titles. I also really with that authors used meaningful titles with hints as to the subject matter. If something from "Latest" catches my fancy, I'll Rec it and also write a response (hopefully meaningful.) I can disagree but if it is a worthwhile read, it gets a Rec.

I rec lots of post without any. I try hard to be nice. Not really good at it, but I try.