Lets be honest with ourselves does it really matter that people are gaming badges/Rep?
Surely if someone is so obsessed with Rep that they are willing to got to any length to get it that's their problem?
I use SO to get questions I can't find the answer to answered, I don't care if the person who answers it has 1 rep or 100,000 rep. If the answer is correct thats all that matters.
If it's wrong I'll vote it down, if it's correct or kind of correct I'll vote it up and maybe comment on it.
Most of the badges could be gamed, but some person some where having "all teh badgezors" is no skin off my
backnose. I don't care so long as when I have a question someone is willing to answer it.
I'm all for the community, I answer questions when I can and when it's not already been answered, I up/down vote things as I think is appropriate. Usually I'm motivated by making the community a better place, sometimes I'm motivated by making my rep a round number (I was so chuffed when my rep hit 1337) but I really don't care about who has what badges, sure I feel a little fuzzy inside when I (legitimately) get a badge, because I can see that I have benefited the community in some way, I'm not worried about the penis measuring that seems to make so many people go off the rocker. Who cares if people have more rep than you or don't legitimately have badges?
Fair enough more rep leads to higher levels of privilege but badges don't mean squat, if someone has low enough self esteem that the only way they can get their kicks is by getting virtual badges to put on their virtual sash well they have bigger problems that badge gaming. And why should we care?