The impression that I've learned in my short tenure here is that the philosophy of Hubski is to follow content based on users, not groups or topics. Users carry their own personality and interests, which may or may not be the same as yours. If they are, it serves as a foundation for discussion and debate, which are highly valued here.

That voting (at least in the U.S.) is more or less used too appease the masses.

Though only here a very short time, I think the "vagueness" (for lack of a better word) behind the relationship with user activity and badges will be a long-term asset for Hubski. I believe it's great for those who truly value discussion and are not in it for some imaginary points, which are noticeable immediately in reddit.

Additionally, the follow and tag system allow for a more social mix of content. Personally, I like the idea of reading a person's submitted article rather than going to an entire subreddit.

In other words, I give more trust to a single person who has proven that they continually deliver interesting content rather than a group or sub. I think it allows less room for content deterioration.