I am three months (will be tomorrow) old in steemit.
At first I was self-upvoting, but when I realized that this was spending my precious VP (voting power) on me, I have decided to use it for other people that would need it more than I did.
A few days ago I realized that I had earned myself a slider (1M Vests) and that made me even happier because I could cast even more upvotes for my favorite content!
Not sure for how long I will keep (not upvoting myself) but I do respect even those who do so. It is simply a choice.
I upvoted this post because (a) I respect your opinion and (b) I really never saw such an abuse again [talking about your screenshot above] ...! This is simply unbelievable ...
I am even less time on Steemit (30 days) and I agree with what you described as the way to go. Thank you!
Thank you for replying :) I wish you fun and success in your steemit journey :)
My pleasure and same to you: all the best!