I imagine he either enables once in a while using NoScript, or just bails out. I do not block Javascript for the time being, but nowadays I bail out much more often, because most of what I see on the web, including on HN, is trash or sightly higher then that, but still inconsequential.
Try sometimes to use links -g and you'll see how web can feel like browsing local resources, if you have a decent connection. Some sites will not work, but it kinda works as quality filter. If only links would support tabbed browsing.
Blocking JS is extremely helpful for removing most tracking. I can selectively enable certain JS for specific sites. It takes hardly any time at all to set this up or to engage with this. Plus, it saves a ton of time on page loads.
I look at the pages that other people load, and those bouncing ads, videos, and whatnot.... I simply use a different Internet than others.