There are a few excellent growers with very low post counts and high reps. They do as you say, they stick over in the grow areas. I don't know about the other high-rep assholes on here, but I tend to sneak attack people in grow threads that: 1. Offer great insight, with correct answers, and in such a way as to TEACH the questioner how to find the answer themselves. 2. New growers that are really gettin' it in, run into problems, investigate and then ask a question with a narrowed set of responses. 3. Amazing grows and pics, especially if the grower ran into earlier problems. (Growing pains?) And, finally 4. When I get emailed booby pics that invite me to go boating in Sharpie or other marker.
I think it's disingenuous to use rep to sway an argument. If I see a solid point/argument/topic of discussion, especially when I disagree with the opinion, I will rep. Sometimes I DO just randomly blow my rep wad on people. LoL