I love the honesty of this post.(And the meme from @aneukpineung78. That's exactly how I feel as well!)
When I first posted, I noticed the 'Upvote post' tickbox. I figured it was there for a reason, and maybe it was the 'in' thing to do, but couldn't bring myself to tick it because, well, it just felt uncomfortable.
My votes aren't worth a damn thing right now, so I'm using them more as a 'like.' That being the case, I have a certain irritation with people that 'like' their own posts and comments on Facebook, and I liken it to that.
I wish my votes had weight and could up the monetary gain instead of just make the vote number go up for content that's worth it. For now, I'm stuck with the equivalent of a thumb's up, and feel the small amount I have to give out should go to someone other than myself.
And when they are worth something, I would feel even more strange about paying myself!! (Although I do see the other side's argument, as well.)
Thank you for this post and for opening up the discussion about it!