[DigitalNoumena]

There seems to be a deliberate, implicit value judgement about "busybodies" that would explain the negative connotations:

> Bassett hypothesizes that “in countries that have more structures of oppression or patriarchal forces, there may be a constraining of knowledge production that pushes people more toward this hyperfocus.”

[jorams]

The article describes the "hunters" as more focused, so I am fairly certain that statement refers to the "hunters" instead of the "busybodies".