I definitely recommend reading the dead postings. Sometimes they're nuts. But often they're just speaking truths that the dominant moderators don't want you to hear.
For instance, I'm routinely voted down for speaking of the needs of the artists and writers who are damaged by piracy. The downvoters seem to hate the mention that piracy corrodes the free market and denies rewards to the artists. The downvoters like to imagine that they're keeping the discussion free from Holocaust deniers but stomping on political ideas they don't like is a big part of it.
For instance, I'm routinely voted down for speaking of the needs of the artists and writers who are damaged by piracy. The downvoters seem to hate the mention that piracy corrodes the free market and denies rewards to the artists. The downvoters like to imagine that they're keeping the discussion free from Holocaust deniers but stomping on political ideas they don't like is a big part of it.