How do I see PM's?

But that could just end up encouraging potentially good members to spam threads up for the sake of increasing their post count in order to activate privileges. In other words it is dumb. I should have spread that statement over 3 posts, then I would have a higher post count.

Doesn't sound like that'd be a good member to me? In fact, perhaps the opposite. More like a Shinscar type of member. ;)