If you want my honest opinion, I'd say that the whole respect system on this forum is becoming a little bit redundant. People are generating respect on jokes and results, when the system has been designed by the administrators to reward those who give back to the community. I'm not sure if removing it entirely is the solution, but I'd say that most people are using it incorrectly (myself included).
This is definitely true, however in the grand scheme of things I don't see it as an issue? As in if you look at the tutoring board and the main users who post "funny" posts, there isn't really a correlation with them being on the tutoring list (look at Phy, me, ShortBlackChick, etc.).
I'd hate to have a VCE forum without it's lighter moments as it'd be depressing as hell, but at the same time I don't think the current system is too bad given it so happens that many of the users who may be "undermining" the respect system actually use it for it's tutoring list ranking. So it kinda doesn't matter?
You're going to have humour rewarded in any system imo. I've seen the "like" system being operated (eg. in MSO) and even there with a bit more mature member-base (by age) funny posts get the likes. It's part of human nature to be attracted to funny posts, and a top meme will always come on top vs a helpful page of LaTeX. The only system I can see being effective is going back to a "Karma" system that we used to have BUT having each Karma being moderated my a mod so they were given for a solely academic reason. But that system would need so much effort and policing that it's not viable.
Not sure if that made any sense haha