I don't believe it is counterproductive.
If you have an issue with certain users, you should certain ignore them as many of us have done and that alone gets the interaction with those that might raise your hairs to keep the discussion more civil, etc.
But I didn't say you should leave if you can't handle it. I said, if you can't handle seeing their emoji reactions to other posts, which really isn't the content of the discussion, and that is something you need removed from view, then that particular discussion may be too much for you given that their "likes" are that problematic.
Now. I will say that to my knowledge MacRumors has an option that removes signatures from the discussion to streamline it. A toggle for reactions might be a good idea. Might already be there for all I know. But that suggestion like signatures would be for ALL reactions, on every post, as well as the ability to react (potentially) in order to streamline the view (especially on mobile).
But I think you are asking too much of the code, which is a forum code that AFAIK they license and don't write, to filter out of the reactions line in your view only, the reactions from your ignore list.