Many of them _are_ obvious spam: submitted from freshly created accounts, meaning that they're not HN users, promoting a paid service or product, and with an accompanying post that looks like an advertising blurb instead of written to show readers something interesting.

> promoting a paid service or product

There was a thread yesterday doing exactly this with over 450 points.

When I pointed it out, my comment was immediately downvoted to the bottom of the thread.

This place has a weird, almost cult-like, definition of what it loves and hates.