Philosophically I am with you. Though, I do think SO rewards its users in a tangential way. "Karma" is something you can advertise to prospective employers. Not

Philosophically I am with you. Though, I do think SO rewards its users in a tangential way. "Karma" is something you can advertise to prospective employers. Not just the score, but you can give examples of how you answer questions for people of different skill levels. The work I've done on SO, which is frankly insignificant compared to many users, has enhanced my hire-ability as a lead or manager.