"why isn’t it appropriate to also pay yourself — first, and every time?"
Because if that's how Steemit was intended to work, it would have been programmed that way. It's an option because it's optional.
The onus is on you to prove your position (one should upvote every post one makes) is the correct one. I see nothing in your large post to advance that position.
Therefore I'll continue to treat self-upvoting as an option, and likely continue to utilize that option sparingly. I advocate others also do what they think is right. You are not savage.
But of course, all that is completely off-topic here. : )
Thanks for your compliment!