Is there a way to turn this off?

I don't want any more notifications than I already have and I couldn't care less if I'm #1, #2, #3 or #9314

 

Try going to your User CP and at the bottom are notification and email boxes. Disable/deselect them. But if you are referring to the display on the top right, that would be an admin/gatekeeper function. Just my SWAG!

 

That works but its still annoying to see (at least to me). I think it would be good to have an option to get rid of the "experience system" as well as the "reputation points" system.

The reason for getting rid of the rep system: Its too blown out of proportion now with many people having high reps that would cause people with little to no rep have their count either skyrocket up or plummet down by a large amount. If a simple thumbs up/ thumbs down system was used that made everyone's submition equal 1 count positive or negative, things would be much better.

 

I hear 'ya! Visuals are a powerful thing one way or the other...