I like to give really terrible drivers thumbs-ups when I'm road-ragin'. And I shout at them, "Good job buddy!" But they can't hear me because even if my windows are down theirs are up. Usually. What 'choo gon do 'bout a thumbs-up, brah? Choo gunna fight? Also it's just really satisfactory because I do believe when most drivers are being shitty, they know they're doing a shitty job - and even if they think they're not doing a shitty job they're usually aware that other people on the road disagree. But I don't have to actively participate in a community in order to earn a thumbs-up to give away, which is why I think badges can be seen as inherently "valuable," and by giving them to shitty content a) you're potentially de-valuing badges and you're certainly altering the meaning of them, and b) the "badges" page becomes shittier browsing material. Although, potentially, funny. I actually regret the ironic badge and kinda want to take it back, and I agree with kleinbl00.