I understand your frustration completely. I have found myself wondering this too, but I don't see Eden implementing it as they count themselves as an open community and not a social networking site. They also don't want to be a social networking site.
The best way to avoid the people you would rather not interact with is to favorite favorite contributors in discussions and make sure they aren't following you or you aren't following them.
If you suspect someone of spamming for points, you can always contact admin to air your concerns and figure out the best way to handle it. You can always contact admin about this question too if you want, they'll be able to provide you with more information I'm sure!