I think upvoting yourself can be seen as "believing in yourself". That the road in Steemit is lonely and that who better to back you, than you?
I don't upvote my own posts as I want to see organic growth within my account based on me improving my own blogging skills.
I think either way can be virtueous ... and others can condemn as they see fit.
But ultimately, Steemit allows for both, so it is just a matter of opinion. If Steemit didn't want it to happen, then it wouldn't happen.
I still believe that Steemit needs to become Guild like - the world is far and wide. To narrow it to a group of elite opinionators is just stifling creativity.
The Thought process is wide & narrow, high and low, and I would like to think that Steemit will contain both Angels & Demons.
This would reflect the Human Psyche! To be exposed to the elements of humanity, and to question and discuss openly, would be the ideal for me.
To upvote your own posts - both should be done and discussed and questioned and challenged - but to create an "Upvote Police Department" would be detrimental in the long term. (Insert any topic to replace the word "Self Upvote" and you will find levels of polarisation on what should be a spectrum.)