I think I can claim to be a high post counter. I’ve made the lists.
I try not to add to a thread if people have already said what I would say. I’ve had to restrain myself a lot of times, but I don’t like “Me, too!” posts, and I don’t like posting just to pad my count.
I will post a “Me, too!” post if there’s a poll that I care about. Or if I’ve got a really good cheap shot or pun.
One advantage of high post counts is you get fan mail from the opposite sex about it…hmmmmm
And this is an advantage… how, exactly? 
Esprix
Oh, c’mon, 'Sprix. You have to admit one thing about the ladies… boobies is good.
Why have a post count at all? Seems to invite all kind of petty jealousies, imagined competition and a false sense of authority.
Given that most of you seem to agree with the premise that it isn’t the number of posts, but the content of same which renders a particular poster in high/low esteem, it would also seem to be a reasonable conclusion that they [the counts] wouldn’t be missed.
I belong to a number of other forums and I haven’t seen this ‘post-odometer’ active in any of them. In fact, I hadn’t seen the registration date next to the posters’ name either. Is there some tradition or story behind the practice? Or is it simply a good marketing strategy on the part of the SDMB as it fosters a certain ‘posting compulsion’?
Inquiring minds want to know 
So would post numbers go down if the counter is removed?
Posting the counts helps me by getting an idea who the veterans are that I might see again. I have a terrible memory for names, and very few posters have established a compelling personality one way or another, people like Esprix, Scylla, jarbabyj, Nachos4Sara and so on.
This doesn’t mean that I would treat their postings differently, at least at first. But over time, I get a feel for what they’re like and that affects how much salt I take with their postings. It’s almost like a logic puzzle, because using words to paint a portrait of yourself successfully requires some kind of insight about yourself that some people may not have.
There was one particular thread I’m thinking of in the BBQ pit, in which the OP was so far off the meter in terms of rancor that it created an unintended backlash against the poster. Had he balanced his initial post with some leavening of humor or some other background information about why he hated this particular activity, the reaction might have been more muted.
In my case, I post a lot, but I believe that few people know who I am. My posts are fairly bland and mostly informative (I hope). I don’t have time to come up with scintillating stories like Scylla, or song parodies or cooking recipes (I would add the names, but dammit I forget them again and I don’t want to misidentify. Regular readers know who they are, of course.) But that’s cool.
And post-count parties have developed as a little tradition on the board, and that’s interesting to see to someone who likes to study social groups and how things like this develop. Nobody handed down the idea: it started with one person and grew almost spontaneously.
I don’t really care 'bout post count but sometimes will look at a posters count - mainly to figure out why they left a post in a particular forumn or why they replied as they did.
You’ve been on the SDMB for 65% of the amount of time I have, yet your post count is 88% of mine.
At this rate, you’ll overtake handy by the end of next year!
What is more important to you…A high post count or the fact that your post actually added something to the thread?
Making a contribution is much more important. Unless it is a particularly hilarious drive-by posting.
Do you wear your post count as a medal of sorts? Or do you get satisfaction that you might have helped someone?
A high post count is only worth what went into making it that way. GIGO. Helping is far more satisfying.
Is your post count the most important thing to you?
No, love, sex and fine dining are much higher up on the list.
In other words, Do you post for the thread or just to boost your post count?
I cannot think of ever having posted just to pad my count. The idea goes against all I stand for.
Is posting just to boost your count a good thing?
No.
Lastly, why do you brag about it?
I don’t.
I don’t care about my post count, all but one of my big round numbers went by without my noticing it (and I can’t recall which one I noticed, so even then it wasn’t that important). My post count is big because I’ve been here over a year and for most of that time I have been spending 9 hours a night online with nothing to do.
Yeah, right. If I were in a prop plane (in terms of posting rate), then Handy must be strapped to the back of the SR-71.
And Redfury… stop rubbing your high post count in my face! 
Whoa nelly…
I’m still thinking about this:
I find that an interesting question, makes me feel all Geoffrey Robertsoney 