I might also point out a few things (this issue seems to come up, but is very poorly thought through (in my opinion)):

a) Self voting does not tell you anything about how much curation someone might be doing, right?
b) Self voting has nothing to do with how much upvoting that same person might be doing?
c) Self voting may be the only way someone can get value for a lot of time put in, reading and considering other comments?
d) Self voting may be a good way for new users, to put their COMMENT UP TOP OF ALL OTHER COMMENTS?
e) Self voting may be a way to attract other new users, to their LONG-ish comment.

I would say this is only the TOP OF THIS ICEBERG...

Please keep in mind, I was first to comment on this particular post, and I wanted to give it some CREDIBILITY!

So I upvoted it, and put up a short but highly VALUABLE comment, after I DID IN FACT READ THE ARTICLE.
thx...