ConanTheBald: Just think what they must have felt to write that script in the first place. I mean someone had to trigger him so bad that he created that script. Like first love or something. Sure later usages of the script might have meant less but every single one have to remind him the first one at least to some degree. Also the targets should care about rep or it would be pointless.
By hiding do you mean that they observe and read but don't post themselves?
Not every body writes their own script, some would just obtain it.
Not everyone clicks downvote to downvote someone, many do it just to hide a post so they don't have to read it, even accidentally.
When you manually do that, you only see a placeholder, certainly on subsequent visits to that page.
So you know that someone has posted, but unless you unhide you cannot see what they wrote.
Even better if a script does that automatically for you, and you don't risk seeing what they posted before it is hidden.
Some scripts can hide without downvoting ... only something I have recently learned and seen in action.
They can even zap the post altogether, so no placeholder, which means you don't even know they posted.
That last effectively means the poster no longer exists to you. Which is a great way to treat bullies, and not much fandom going on there.
ConanTheBald: For me low or negative rep shows that someone is rebel and anarchist and they don't care about social norms and formalities. They are strong individuals who dare to have independent thoughts and express them even if others disagree. Or that's what it should show IF it would work as intended. But since it doesn't work it's sorta pointless "feature".
That's purely your opinion not mine, as there can be many reasons, so not smart to jump to assumptions. I look at the merit of each case, and honestly some are just nutters, bullies and plain old troublemakers.
And high REP is no indicator of a great person either, as I have certainly come across a few that are obnoxious bullies and they think they are God's gift to Psychology and have a huge ego to match. I also suspect many of them have used scripts and false accounts etc to boost their positive REP, or just been a member so long it has accumulated and they know a few tricks to ensure it does.