I think it is, but I don't go around downvoting those who disagree.
For any account large enough to do damage with a downvote, choosing not to upvote a self-voted post is a solid loss for an author (maybe even a comment saying "hey, I was going to vote you, but you self-voted" if they want to direct behavior), there is no need to negate the upvotes/curation of the other accounts that voted.
Plagiarism, advocating of violence, child porn, shit post spamming...these are things that need a downvote.
No. Your stake allows you to add or subtract to the ultimate value of a post. It's not, one is bad the other is good.
Stake allows both. We shouldn't be telling people that they can only do certain things with it. It's your stake. That's the whole point.
I'm not advocating for self-voting, just to be clear, but if it was really against the community rules, the ability to self-vote could have easily been forked out long ago.
I don't think there is that much wrong with a daily self vote on posts when your stake is low but as it gets higher it gets more problematic.
Like having a button to make your car fly, but having a car fly being illegal. So then why the button?
Good point.
The rule is that there are no rules and everyone can do what they see fit. The argument is "if you don't like it, you can walk away". So, that is, what people usually do. It keeps the playground small.
The space here is paradoxical. The usual players tell you that they don't appreciate the drama and someone publicly mouthing off about voting practices and using tagging would cause such useless drama. However, I think it's a lie and drama is exceedingly appreciated as an opportunity to demonstrate one's power. Happens regularly in a kind of gleeful way.
Personally, I think tagging is superfluous. If I have something to say directly to someone, I go to their blog or comment their comments.
Conversely, there is no fierce objection to tagging if the blogger praises someone tagged. LoL.
So, regarding self voting it just depends on whim, mood and who is reacting to whom on such basis.