Or is it about perceived quality in this instance?
Since the reason people will attract alot of thanks is because people perceive their post to be of great value.

My point is that someone will collect alot of thanks due to the marketing which has reached blackhatters of the value of a product (ebook, software, book, method) that someone has provided 'insights' on.

So the thanks are representing being first to be seen making this available rather than thanks to posts that are really applicably useful.

Part of what I am saying is that people are going to thank (just as we know they buy) when they get what they want, not what they need.
What does that say about the person being thanked?
Is he playing for thanks? Or are the thanks really always a side-effect of superlative posts and insight?
(I am not knocking anyone with a lot of thanks, just raising a subtle point that is lost in the quality / quantity debate).